Thief of Hearts
by Miko Sakura-sama
Summary: Feared by all, the thieves of Sengoku Jidai want nothing more than the Shikon Jewel that grants ultimate power and wealth. But, when Inuyasha meets its unexpected royal--and fiery--protector, could their fearless leader put them at risk...for love?
1. The Sengoku Jidai

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Thief of Hearts - Chapter One

By: Sakura Katsana

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Disclaimer: Rumiko-sama, can I ask you a HUGE favor?

Rumiko-sama: No, you cannot have Inuyasha.

Sakura: ::sigh:: It was worth a shot . . .

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Sakura's Note: Hey everyone! Here is my newest fic, one I hope you all will enjoy just as much as I do to write it. I've been working on it for a while now, editing it, and rewriting parts to make it better. I think it's going to be one of my favorites! Also, thank you to my Beta Reader, Ariri sama for editing this chapter for me. I really appreciate it. So, this chapter is dedicated to her.

There isn't much to say, seeing how this is the first chapter and all. So, please read and review.

Enjoy!

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Chapter One: The Sengoku Jidai

He sighed into his hands, slowly moving them back down to his chair's armrest, "Listen to me, all of you!"

The roaring of foreseen victory silenced immediately.

"Always remember to pillage _BEFORE_ you burn!" He glared at the men, silently reliving the very embarrassing slipup of his comrades over and over in his head. "I don't want a repeat of last time."

Almost all of the men bowed their heads in embarrassment as various apologies flowed through the room, all directed towards their very frustrated leader.

He waved a passive hand, while the other massaged his temple, "Alright, alright, I guess it's done with. It's not like we didn't get a good haul anyway, right?"

Agreeing cheers filled the room, some even tossed rubies and diamonds around haphazardly.

"Right," he agreed, a smile playing at his lips. "Carry on." He didn't have a chance to reach for his sake before the uproar of cheers began and the partying resumed.

As long as they weren't drunk enough to fall off their horses it'd be alright.

A little sake before looting never did any harm, if anything it made everything go much better-- as long as they didn't start burning things again. . .

Smirking, their leader stood and walked towards the festivities. Suddenly he felt a hand slap his shoulder. "Ah, what wise advice you gave up there," a man about a year or two older than his honey-eyed King flashed his pearly whites. "Something that will stick with their hearts for years to come, wouldn't you say, Inuyasha?"

"Sarcasm doesn't really become you, Miroku," Inuyasha stated simply, biting into a huge drumstick he had gotten his hands on.

The lavender-eyed man smiled sardonically, "And leadership doesn't really become you either." Inuyasha shot the older man a glare, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry, gods."   
  
"You damn well better be," Inuyasha muttered, taking a gulp of sake. "You ready for the haul tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Miroku replied, whipping his head around as a man who had taken a dive off a table yelped in pain. "But, I think that lad might."

"Oi!" Inuyasha slapped a hand to his face, "Take the sake out of here!" He roared at two of Sengoku Jidai's more bulky members--Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu.

The two nodded and began hauling the hogsheads of sake and rice wine into the storage rooms despite everyone's protests.

"You just pissed off a lot of men 'Yash," Miroku shook his head sadly, "But," he said in a singsong voice, "I still have mine--hey!" Inuyasha smirked as he held the goblet of sake above his friend's head.

"How dare you take away the sake?!" a low, rumbling, voice came from behind, causing most of the Sengoku Jidai to fall into silence--all except those too drunk to care.

"Shut your mouth Naraku, your brother was the ass that dived off the table got himself knocked senseless!" Inuyasha growled, "I can tell just by the smell of you that you've had enough yourself."

Snickers followed Inuyasha's comments.

Naraku sneered, "Bastard . . ."

"If you have so many problems with me then why don't just go somewhere else? Like a cell in Shikon, or maybe in Kunô ?" Inuyasha knocked the man aside, "The sake's back there, if you want to get so drunk you can't grab your share of the loot then you can go. It only makes it easier for me and Miroku."

It was quiet enough to hear the crickets chirping outside.

"Well then," Inuyasha cleared his throat, "Now that that's settled." The honey-eyed boss unsheathed his sword and stabbed a hole in a barrel of rum, "Cheers."

Miroku smirked, "You do know that you just killed the purpose don't you?"

"I don't-"

"Well don't you know how to rouse a crowd?" a white-haired thief yawned with boredom, a glass of wine still in his hand.

Inuyasha ignored his brother, "Miroku, are the horses ready?"   
  
His friend, following suite, nodded, "Yup."

Inuyasha nodded, "Alright then, when the moon rises."

"We'll get our just prizes," Miroku finished.

"You both are so adolescent," Sesshoumaru commented dryly, "What a tacky aphorism."

"Oh come on," Miroku sighed, "We've been saying it since we were kids, _shouldn't _it be adolescent?"

Sesshoumaru glared at both younger men, "You're not the true ruler of this place."

"If I'm not, then who is? Certainly you don't think it's you," Inuyasha growled, "Don't you have something better to . . ._do_? Like tend to the horses? Or is it your night off?"

"Someday, little brother, someday."

"_Half_ brother!" Inuyasha yelled after the grumbling man.

"You always know how to annoy him, don't you?"

"Years of experience," the amber-eyed crook shrugged. "But we'll always be brothers . . .there's always time to make amends." Both men looked at one another, then laughed.

Looking above him, Inuyasha saw the moon rising through the large hole above their domain. "It's time."

With his words, the room became silent before a tumult of whooping and words of encouragement echoed through their hideout.

"To the horses!" Goshinki yelled over everyone else.

"To the horses!" The rest of the Jidai cheered, abandoning their goblets carelessly on the tables and retrieving their best weapons.

The Sengoku Jidai flooded out of their lair, riding their horses until they reached the river.

Inuyasha grinned back behind him at the others, his silvery white hair swirling around him in the early sandstorm, "Alright! The storm should be here by morning, get in, get out, and return. You know the Code, get caught; you're mute."

Their horses stormed through the desert, sand lashing out at their faces, as they rode towards their next target and newest riches.

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They reached their target around midnight, a few stars tumbling through the night sky like diamonds.   
  
It was time to put their tactics to work.

Rouyakan had rode ahead of the others to put phase one of their flawless plan into action.

The oil was spread, the torch tossed, and now a screen of flames blocked every escape.

"It's the Sengoku Jidai!"   
  
"Take your riches!"

"Grab your women and children!" Villagers continued to exclaim and protest as they fought to leave the village with all they could carry.

Inuyasha spurred his horse into a faster pace until he reached the middle of the village. He looked around, surveying the damage and--for them--success.

In one word, it was chaos.

The controlled flames were no longer controlled in some areas, huts were being invaded by his men right and left, their horses along with some new ones were being loaded with loot, all the while villagers clinging to the last of their possessions and running towards the far away dunes.

No one could say that his bunch was slow.

Well . . .

They _could, _and if they were talking about Onigumo they'd be right, but they wouldn't live long after, that was for sure.

The golden hoop in his left ear gleamed in the fires surrounding the village. His silver hair shimmered in the glow of the fires and danced along his back with the winds that fanned the growing flames.   
  
He, Inuyasha, was the one that struck deep fear into these villagers' hearts. You could tell by the look on their faces as they scuttled past.

But his brow furrowed when he spotted Hiten and Manten battering some children for their possessions.

"Hiten! Manten!" Inuyasha galloped towards them, anger engraved into his features. "What in all the hells do you think you're doing?"

"Taking what we want," Hiten barked, his brother nodding in silent accord.

Inuyasha growled, swung his leg over his black stallion, and knelt down to the children's eye levels. "Get out of here, and if any of my men say anything to you, tell them Inuyasha says to leave you two alone."

The little girl nodded nervously before giving the leader of the feared Sengoku Jidai a small smile as she followed her older brother through the chaos, holding her baby brother in her arms.

"What was _that_?" Manten griped, annoyed.

"Yeah! You just saved our victims!" Hiten snarled. "What are you? Going soft?"

"I told you all a long time ago you don't mess with the children." Their leader turned to leave, assuming his words were final.

"What's the difference?"

Guess not.

Inuyasha growled in warning, but deciding it was better to console them with their own reasoning he heaved a sigh. "If you hurt the kids then soon there will be none that'll grow up and get things that we can steal." His voice was tired. How many times had he repeated this to them?

Hiten and Manten suddenly donned expressions of understanding.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled from towards a hut. "We have a problem!"

"Gods," Inuyasha groaned, "Both of you, if I see you tormenting another child you'll be sorry." Both Jidai men nodded, although somewhat disappointed. Mounting his horse, Inuyasha followed Miroku's call to one of the smaller huts by the riverside.

"What is it?" Inuyasha barked storming through the reed flap they used to block out the sand. "Why'd you call me--"

Miroku looked up from the woman on the floor to his fellow Jidai, "Like I said, we have a problem."

"Oh, sh-"

"Language!" Miroku scolded, "Not around . . .this type of . . . _situation_."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he laid eyes on the woman, lying on a pile of furs by the indoor fire . . .

. . .giving birth.

"I haven't got time for this! What do you think I am?!" Inuyasha yelped, nervousness gnawing at him. "A midwife?"

Miroku stood up, "Well . . .if you were it'd help--"

"Miroku!"

"Okay, okay! I know you're not, but what are we going to do?"   
  
"I don't have time for this!" Inuyasha repeated, exasperated.

"I heard you! Gods, I don't have a hearing problem!"

"Take care of it."   
  
"Me?!"

"Do you see anyone else in here?"   
  
"Yes."

"Who? Who else do you see?"

"You!"  
  
"Oh, _hell_ no."

"Come on! We can't just leave her here! It's our fault there's no one to help her . . ."

"You have a big problem."

"Really? What's that?"   
  
"Your conscience! And your respect!"

"Respect? For what?!" Miroku paused, looking from his friend back to the woman who was halfway through labor. "Oh." He hastily, and awkwardly, covered the woman's spread legs with a cloth, muttering his apologies to the huffing woman.

"Hold on a minute."

Miroku slapped a hand to his face, "We don't _have_ a minute! The woman's about to spit out a baby!"

No use.

Inuyasha had disappeared from the hut.

Out of the blue the lavender-eyed male felt his hand being squeezed painfully. Considering his line of work, Miroku had experienced plenty of pain, but her steady grip was pretty painful itself. This woman wasn't planning on letting go soon either.

The hut's door flap was pulled open and his tawny-eyed superior stepped through, his right hand wrapped around a terrified woman's wrists. "I found someone." He released the woman only to have her try and dash towards the entrance.

Inuyasha grabbed her in his arms, "Listen to me, this woman's about to have a kid, and that means you're going to help her. That, or just watch what happens to you." _Let the baby be ok . . . _With that, he slipped out of the hut, jumped on his horse, and rode off to join his fellow Jidai's in their glory.

"There they are!" A female's angry voice yelled through the chaotic screams.

Inuyasha whipped his head around to see the familiar uniforms of Shikon's soldiers storming towards the village.

What were they doing here?

How did they know?

Miroku appeared by his side moments later, on his own brown charger, and looked in question towards the men.

"Round the scoundrels up boys, don't let a single one escape!" the female's voice roused up the voices of others.

Miroku ignored his friend's commands to the others as he realized something.

A woman led them.

A woman!

. . .Wow.

Miroku smirked, "Inuyasha, leave the vixen to me."

Inuyasha nodded, understanding his perverted friend perfectly. "Have fun."

"Oh believe me, I will."

Inuyasha glared at the oncoming soldiers; by a quick count he guessed there were thirty. Unsheathing his sword, he charged forward into a battle of clashing swords and flying daggers.

Miroku raced off in search of the woman he had spotted earlier.

"Hiraikotsu!"

He dodged just seconds before a humungous boomerang hurtled towards him. "What the-"

Found her.

She rode towards him, a scowl set firmly on her otherwise flawless face, and her boomerang at the ready. "Where do you think you're going?" She purred with false sensitivity and it drove him crazy anyway.

"I could ask you the same question, my _lady_," Miroku looked the woman over. "And I _do_ mean lady."

Her magenta eyes complimented her russet hair and creamy skin, along with the absolute anger from his words.

Not to mention he had to try very hard not to gawk at her; she wore Shikon's skintight black uniform with the classic red metal plates placed strategically on her shoulders, knees, elbows, and abdomen.

But all of her beauty was spoiled by her attempting to throw him carelessly into a jail cell the second she knocked him out with her big, shiny, hard, boomerang . . .thing. Sighing, Miroku unsheathed his own weapon.

"My business here is no business of yours," she growled. "But you," the woman indicated the chaos surrounding them, "You my Jidai, will pay for this."

"Well, since I'll be _dying_ anyway, why not give me the courtesy of telling me your name?" the Jidai winked. "Man's last wish?"

"You don't need to know," she stated simply, slinging her boomerang over her shoulder and standing unarmed.

. . .until two blades popped out from her wristbands.

"And men deserve no last wishes."

This was going to be interesting.

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"Everyone got their share?" Inuyasha sheathed his sword, taking the time to give the once over to all the unconscious warriors. There were roars of agreements from the bandits surrounding him.

"Then let's move out."

"Wait! Where's Miroku?" One man piped up.  
  
Inuyasha looked around the group; no Miroku.

"Oi! There's 'e is boss!" Jinenji yelled from his horse.

Their leader crooked his neck in the direction of Jinenji's finger to find Miroku, leaning against a shack, and looking not nearly at his best.

"Miroku . . ." Inuyasha growled, rushing to his side, "Where is she? Where's the woman that did this to you?"   
  
"She"--cough--"rode off with the remaining conscious men," Miroku answered, dazed. "My head hurts Inu! My head hurts!"

Inu?

Um . . . No . . .

"Miroku, what nonsense are you spouting now?"

The murmurs behind them silenced.

His men did a bad job at eavesdropping.

"What're they saying?"

"Shut up and I'll tell you!"

Yup, very bad job.

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"Three cheers for our leader Inuyasha!" Jakotsu raised his ruby-studded goblet over the revelry.

They had returned with five extra horses carrying their newly acquired possessions. And, of course, they had all returned to drinking--more vigorously now that they didn't need to stand for more than five minutes at a time.

Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku, by far, had collected the most out of everyone, save for Inuyasha who had managed to find gold in a town with not an ounce in it.

Miroku groaned, opening his eyes lazily. "Inuyasha, what's going on?"

"I see you've come back to your senses," Inuyasha mumbled. "And you've stopped calling me 'Inu'."

Miroku didn't have a chance to ask.

"Here's the stuff for Miroku," Gatenmaru tossed a handful of bandages towards the honey-eyed man, "Beaten by a vixen, gods, what next?"

"Shut up Gatenmaru," Miroku growled, "She wasn't just any ordinary woman!"

"Let it go," Inuyasha advised, "It's embarrassing enough to say you were beat by her, you don't need to go making it worse saying she was no 'ordinary woman'!"

"But she couldn't have been any ordinary woman!" Miroku insisted, grimacing as Inuyasha began tightening the bandage around his arm. "She seemed to be leading those men. What woman can demand that much respect from Shikon soldiers?"

". . ."

"What?"

". . ."

"What?!"

"Oi, Miroku, tell me. Tell me you haven't fallen for this wench!"

"_What_?"

"Could you say something else please?"

"Why don't you?"

Inuyasha growled, tying the bandage around his friend's bicep. "Fine, grit your teeth, baka."

"Ow!"

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"You're going down, Toutousai," Goshinki grunted, looking the old man square in the eye.

"I haven't been here for thirty years and not learned a thing or two," Toutousai retorted, bringing his opponents arms down to his side of the table.

Inuyasha clapped and tossed comments around with the rest of the men when Goshinki stood and walked away, yelling for another nip.

"Who's next?" Toutousai dared.

Most of the men had already been defeated by the old man once that night and didn't wish to crush their pride anymore, at least for now, and the ones who had yet to step up to the challenge were reluctant.

The old man was strong, to be blunt.

He'd been there since he was in his early teens and had never left, nor been expected to leave like most others past their prime. Him and Myouga were the oldest there, and some of the most experienced.

"You haven't taken up any challenges lately 'Yash," Miroku goaded. "How about it?"

Others nudged their leader in the ribs, egging him on until he was seated across the ancient table, his arm poised and ready for the test.

Toutousai smirked, his confidence building all night was enough to give him an edge.

"3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . Go!" Ginkotsu slammed the table signaling the beginning of their competition.

Neither man flinched as the arm wrestling match began, neither arm moved, nor did either opponent say anything.

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"And we've been sitting here for how long?" Inuyasha grunted across the table to Toutousai.

"Pretty long."

"Well then, let's end this."

"Let's."

Both strained their arms, Inuyasha's biceps bulging at the struggled attempt, Toutousai finally breaking a sweat.

A round of cheers broke through the crowd as Inuyasha slammed Toutousai's arm down to his section. "Well done old man."

"Likewise," Toutousai grunted. "I'd say you improved."

"It's been five years, fighting and looting can do that to a man," Miroku interjected as Inuyasha graciously took a quart of liquor from another member.

A young boy flew into the room, completely out of breath. "Inuyasha! The horses! They've been stolen!"

The partying halted as Inuyasha rushed through the crowd towards Nobunaga. There were whispers and shouts all over the place.

"What?"   
  
"Our steeds, they're gone boss," Nobunaga repeated breathlessly.

"Did you see the thieves?"

"No, I went out and they were all gone. The only reason Bakuryuuha is still here's because Sesshoumaru was leading him back from the river."

"Are there any more left, other than him?"

"Only one other than yours; Kazaana--Miroku's," Inuyasha looked back at Miroku, who nodded.

"We'll get them back," Inuyasha promised, mounting his horse. "Before sunrise."

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Kuno means 'torture' or at least it does based on my handy dandy little Japanese dictionary.

When he asks for another 'nip' Goshinki means another swig, I don't think I needed to explain that but just in case.

Well, there's the first chapter, I hope you all like it and review.

Ja ne

Sakura


	2. Those Two Gold Eyes

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Thief of Hearts - Chapter 2

By: Sakura Katsana

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Disclaimer: It's a depressing thing to say . . .I do not own Inuyasha.

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Sakura's Note: I know I should be working on Mission Completed and WAALHW but, just to let you know, I already had a few prewritten chapters for this story. So, I basically just had to add the author's note and all.

Also, this story does not take place in Japan, but more so somewhere near Persia and Arabia. Think of Aladdin and you're pretty much set.

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Chapter 2: Those Two Gold Eyes

"Any spoor?" Inuyasha rode up to meet the other Jidai.

"No, and the sandstorms have probably already reached Ano Horaana," Miroku sighed, leaning on Kazaana's head.

"You can head back, those horses are ours' fair and square. . . .Well, most of them anyway. But that's not the point. I'm going to find them." Inuyasha leapt off his horse, picking up some sand in his hands and letting it blow away through his fingers. "They went that way."

"How do you know this stuff?" Miroku groaned, spurring on Kazaana.

The honey-eyed male shrugged nonchalantly, but his anger soon surfaced. "When I find whoever stole our horses they'll wish their mothers had never been born!"

Miroku winced in pity for the poor soul who was in possession of their horses at the moment. He knew what his friend could and most likely would do. Inuyasha had a soft spot for children but when anyone else took anything from him, or any other Jidai for that matter, everyone in his way would face his wrath.

Sand whipped at Inuyasha's face, causing him to raise a hand to block it out. "Let's pick up the pace, 'storm's close."

They continued on through the smooth dunes of sand, the only trace of them ever being there erased within minutes, until they reached the peek of the desert.

Miroku's eyes widened as he scanned the village for any trace their property, "They've taken them to Shikon just like we thought. Oh, there're gonna pay for this. . ."

His leader growled, ready to pound something into the ground. "I bet it was that cursed wench and her men who're behind this. What in the seven hells made her think we wouldn't find them?!"   
  
"Inuyasha, maybe that's exactly it. She knows you'll be able to track her and once you're in her city, capture you and I both." He looked out at the night's sand thoughtfully, "Such a smart woman. . ."

"If that's the case then we'll have to keep unnoticed," Inuyasha finally said, "Let's go." The angry leader nudged Bakuryuuha, riding down the dune with his best friend and most trusted thieve by his side.

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"My lady, we were not able to detain the Sengoku Jidai at their most recent raid but we were able to capture their horses." Her high ponytail swayed in the light breeze flowing in from the room's glassless windows.

"Sango, you're the best Shikon Warrior and friend I've ever seen," the pearl-gray orbs of the younger girl glowed in the moonlight as she nodded dismissing the palace guards. With a playful smile she stood up, all regality aside. "I'm glad you've made it back alright."

They embraced like cousins should, "Did you learn anything new about the Sengoku Jidai?"

"By the time we got there they were already raiding the village. And they managed to defeat almost all of us. The surprising thing is they didn't take my defeated warriors as prisoners, they just continued looting the entire time and left."

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He's thoughtful. . .in a way. Kagome sighed, "Did you get a good look at their leader?"

Her cousin paused in thought, "Yes, I can recall his face. To tell you the truth he wasn't all that bad looking either."

"Sango!"

"What? It's not like I'd run away with him. He's just some idiot with a shiny sword and a lot of men under his command. I hate men in control. Besides, there was this man with him, looked like they were close. He was so. . ._FULL_ of it!"

Kagome smirked, "What was his name?"

"I don't know, none of my men could find out. They were too busy fighting." Sango continued seeing the man's face, his oh-so-sure-of-himself face and she hated it.

"Oh, right, well, you managed to get their horses, so you must know their location, correct? . . .Sango?"

"We couldn't find a dwelling anywhere near the horses, only a myriad of dunes."

"Any caves?"

"No."

Kagome held onto the pink jewel at her neck, rolling it through her fingers absent-mindedly. "It must be a spell."

"In that case they would have to have a sorceress, or a miko all the way from the lands of Japan!"

"It wouldn't be im-"

"Pardon me, Lady Kagome." A man around Sango's age rushed in, "Sango, there's a disturbance at the west side of the palace! Come quickly!"

Sango gave her cousin an apologetic look, "Inform the others!"

The young warrior leapt up from her kneeling spot and rushed from the room, grabbing her large boomerang bone from the corner as she did so. "We'll talk later, cousin."

Kagome nodded, a serious look back on her face.

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"Ho there! Who're you?" The guard put his arm out in front of the entrance. "No one enters the Sultana's palace without her majesty or her majesty's daughter's permission."

The lavender-eyed man sighed, pulling down the bandana covering his nose and mouth. Flashing the guard his most dashing smile he drew back his fist.

- - -and punched.

"Gods! You're the dupe beaten by our Lady Sango!" the guard now held his nose, blood dribbling from the cracks in between his dusty fingers. Yet, somehow, he still had the guts to laugh.

"Ah, so that's her name!" Miroku said cheerily, "That vixen's sure a catch. Pity I'll have to defeat all her men. Oh well, it can't be that much of a loss losing a bunch like you. . ."

"Get 'em men!" The injured guard yelped, grabbing his sword from its place at his side.

"We'll give 'em a nice Shikon welcome, ay boys?" another guard grinned, standing in a fighting stance.

"Well let the games begin boys, I have all the time in the world."

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He slipped into the holding room where he could hear the faint neighing and whinnying of their horses and instantly covered his nose.

The smell was worse than the smell of death!

Gods, for the richest village of the deserts it sure as hell didn't keep its stables clean.

Almost immediately the horses silenced and allowed their central reigns to be grabbed up and pulled from the building. Inuyasha smiled lightly, counting off the horses. "Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty, forty-one, forty- - -"

Wind Scar, she wasn't there.

The Jidai leader scowled, looking in even the darkest corners of the holding area, seeing no other horses.

Muttering dark curses under his breath he herded in the horses out into the early sandstorm. The faint sounds of Shikon Warriors carried on the fierce gusts of wind.

Miroku had come through.

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"I hope you don't welcome all your guests like that. That would give you a bad name. But, that, my foolish Shikon _warriors_ was a Jidai welcome. Much more polite than yours. Be sure and remember it and you'll be fine." Miroku leapt onto Kazaana, "I think I stole Inuyasha enough time."

"Miroku!" Inuyasha rode up on Bakuryuuha.

"Great! Gotten the horses I see, ready to go-"

"Wind Scar wasn't there."

Miroku looked from the large mass of horses being led by Inuyasha's stallion. Wind Scar was Bakuryuuha's mate, and when either went missing there was hell to pay. He could tell just by the air around Inuyasha that he wasn't happy, "Where could she be?"

"They must have taken her to another area of the village for some reason," Inuyasha muttered, talking to no one in particular. "But where. . .?"

"For all we know they could have eaten her." Inuyasha shot him a deadly glare, making him stop cold turkey. "But-but, they wouldn't! They . . .they . . ._they_," he pointed behind him, "wouldn't! I've only heard that The Harpies eat their horses!"

Inuyasha sighed, "The Harpies only follow in our shadow, taking whatever we leave behind. They should be The Vultures if anything. They give thieves a bad name. They can't even clean the blood from their swords, let alone steal a horse on their own . . ."

Miroku nodded in agreement, mounting his auburn horse. "Alright, the storms coming through, it should be past Ano Horaana by now."

Inuyasha nudged Bakuryuuha forward, causing a wave of horses to follow. "Take half the horses and lead them with Kazaana. Let's get out of here before they all descend on us like a hungry pack of wolves."

"Have you ever even seen a wolf?"

"Shut up." Inuyasha handed off half of the reigns. After Miroku had secured them all around his fist they were off.

"But what are you going to do about Wind Scar?"

"I'll find out where she is, all I have to do is ask."

"Ask? You're going to go up there and ask the guards where they put your horse?! Have you lost your mind?" Miroku's eyes went wide in disbelief. That was, until Inuyasha struck the man's noggin.

"No idiot! I'm going to ask her! _Her! _Our captive! Gods man, sometimes I wonder if you've taken one too many blows to the head." Inuyasha slapped a hand to his face, spurring Bakuryuuha into the desert storm ahead.

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The two Jidai men reached the dip of the two dunes- the ones that never seemed to change with the wind no matter how bad the torrents. It looked as if they had just missed the storm. "Akatsuki yami," The honey-eyed leader boomed.

The wind picked up again, dying down almost instantly bringing a cold chill that breathed on both men's faces violently. A large cave began to materialize in front of them magically, although neither thought it to be much of a wonder anymore. Their hideout was much more secure now that it was invisible to anyone, including themselves.

"Oi! It's Inuyasha!" Jakotsu beamed, recklessly abandoning his goblet of rice wine to go to the entrance. On his way he grabbed up a small tin, opening it to make sure his makeup was still flawless. For Inuyasha to see him any other way would be awful.

" 'E and Miroku brought the horses!" Jinenji downed the rest of his beer. Happy to see his own horse with their leader he happily returned to the kegs of liquor in the corner, swaying gently the whole way there.

"Inuyasha! You are so strong and brave! You give the rest of us a bad name," Jakotsu batted his eyelashes at his leader. "Are you injured? Are you hurt? Do I need to go get bandages? I could change them for you."   
  
Inuyasha leapt from Bakuryuuha--who automatically snorted at Jakotsu--and knocked the Jidai away. "Stop being so creepy, Jakotsu. And back up a little, respect my personal space for once. . ."

Miroku inched around the flirtatious man and led Kazaana to Nobunaga, who was waiting happily for all the horses' reigns.

"Good thing you got them back," the boy commended, patting Miroku on the back. Nobunaga petted Pyre's--Naraku's horse--affectionately before leading them all back outside towards a small oasis nearby.

Rouyakan grunted, swiping up a few grapes to toss in his mouth later. "So, who were the little screwballs that took 'em?"

"Ask Miroku," Inuyasha grabbed up a golden goblet lined with rubies and filled it to the brim with sake. "I got some business to attend to."

"A'ight boss," they said in unison, all their eyes now focused on Miroku, who was already reciting the occurrences.

Inuyasha clenched his fists as he walked through the tunnel leading to their sleeping quarters. He continued until he reached his own personal room. A small opening to the side revealed a small tented bed, gold designs scattered across the fabric.

Without announcing his presence the white-haired Jidai pulled the flap open, "Enchantress, I need you to tell me where Wind Scar is."

"How nice it is to see you too," Her dark eyes looked up from the scroll on her large black pillow.

"Cut the crap, Kikyo," Inuyasha snarled. "Tell me where Wind Scar is."

Kikyo rolled her eyes, "You treat me like some desert hound. I'm a miko, not an animal _or_ an enchantress. . ."

He took a calming breath, knowing very well she would be more stubborn to assist him if he got angry. "Wench, tell me now or you'll be those dogs' dinner." He thought his reasoning to be sound, but apparently she did not. Inuyasha began to unsheathe his sword, growling warningly in his chest.

"My powers are not always with me, they come and go." She couldn't hold in the gasp as the cold steel of the sword touched her throat.

"Tell me, _miko_, before I make you wish you'd never come here from your lands."

The miko let out a sigh, crawling from her overly large pillow to a small crystal at the foot of the feather bed. She picked it up gingerly, balling her hand into a gentle fist. Her eyes became void, her body glowed a vague pink. "Your mare is in the city of Shikon, under the care of the Sultana's daughter. Yet the Princess does not know as of yet, so threatening her will do no good. Your horse's whereabouts in the city can not be determined within my powers."

The room seemed to lower its temperature back to that of a normal desert night as her eyes fluttered open, now glimmering with fury. He never gave her the respect she deserved. Had he ever experienced years of sitting in the same bed without seeing barely anything else? No, and he never would. The fearless leader would never be caught, never see a jail cell, always be free. Unlike her.

"See? All you had to do was hold a crystal and close your eyes . . ." Inuyasha graced the room with a small smile, putting his hand in a small leather pouch at his side. "Here," he tossed a silver coin at the woman, "for your time."

Kikyo glared at the silver. Really, what could she use it for?

"Tell me, King of Thieves," the man turned, allowing the curtain to fall back closed behind him.

"What is your name?"

"You could easily use your seeing crystal to find that out. You don't need to bother me about it." Inuyasha snarled, tossing a ruby into the air and catching it upon its return.

"You captured me from the village at which I was training. I'll never see my sister again, I'll never see the cherry blossoms in bloom, the snow, the koi, the birds chirping their sweet serenades . . . All because you thought I would be useful in your thieving. Yet you barely even see me more than to give me food. I think you owe me one request."

The leader of the men sighed, his eyes softening for a second before their tough exterior regained control, "Inuyasha."

Kikyo seemed surprised that he had answered. She had expected him to just leave back to the festivities. "Inuyasha . . ." she repeated slowly, testing it on her tongue.

"Yeah. You asked for my name didn't you? Well I gave it to you, and, for your helpfulness you can join the festivities until you start bothering people or they start bothering you. Then it's back here, no funny business. Sesshoumaru won't take kindly to you trying to escape."

The miko raised an eyebrow, "Is that caring in your voice?"

"No, it's not."

With that the leader swiftly left, instantly acting as if nothing was wrong when he rejoined the wild partying. The miko followed minutes later, noting the exits as she went.

The moonlight came through into the torch lit cave romantically, though no one other than her would ever think romantic a word for it. The large hole in the ceiling also brought in a cooling breeze that kissed her cheeks. When mixed with the heat from the torches it created a comfortable atmosphere.

There were three tables filled to the edges with food. She had never been able to understand how they had been able to keep themselves so well stocked every time she was allowed outside. Kikyo looked to her right to see a card game in progress, with riches piled high in the middle for the winner.

Inuyasha was laughing in the corner with Miroku and a few others that still wanted to hear both men's detailed description of their horse escapades.

Gold was scattered everywhere carelessly, sending the silent message that the invisible charm that she had put on the castle indeed kept them safe. She was a little glad that it had. Despite their pompous attitudes and rude gestures, Inuyasha never had let them do anything do her. She was safe, albeit a prisoner.

During her two years in that room he had allowed her out into the main area more than this once, which in itself was odd, and had given her some of the best food they owned. He glared at anyone who even thought of trying something under his nose with her, and kept her in his room for her own protection.

This Inuyasha seemed to worry about her, no matter how much he denied it. Beneath the tough and thieving exterior, there was a good man.

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A woman in her early forties sat elegantly in her throne with expensive silks draped across her, sewn together to become a beautiful white dress. Golden lining decorated the midriff and matching hoops adorned her arms. "Welcome to Shikon, you are both very brave to bring your little brother all the way here after such an awful battle," the Sultana smiled lovingly, feeling pity for their losses. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need."

The eldest brother, around ten, bowed, followed quickly by his sister. They were both amazed by the palace, supported by sturdy and well-designed marble pillars standing on marble floors containing mosaics of the city's rich history.

"But before you are shown to your sleeping quarters my daughter wished to speak with you all."

Kagome entered, her own pale green gown sashaying around her feet. The dress put the accent on her curves pleasingly until it tapered off right below her hips. The collar was covered sparingly in jewels the children had never even seen before.

Sango walked by her side, still dressed in her formal warrior's attire. "They're so adorable!" She whispered. The eldest boy visibly blushed, bowing to the Princess and her guardian as well.

Kagome knelt down, beaming at the three children. "This is my cousin and protector, Sango. She would like to ask you a few questions. It would be a very big help." Sango waved at the little girl, causing her to giggle. "Please follow me to my room, Yuka brought up some things you can snack on there."

The children didn't need to be told twice. They were already half way down the hall.

==========================================================

"When you were at your village, did you see their leader?" Sango questioned, handing the girl a pastry.

"Uh huh. He talked to us." she managed through a mouth crammed with chocolate. She accepted the pastry happily, bowing slightly in thanks.

Both Shikon women raised an eyebrow, "He did, did he?"

The little girl nodded vigorously, her midnight curls bouncing as she did so. "Yup! He was really nice for a Jidai!"

"What exactly did he say to you?" Sango continued, nodding for the green-eyed artist also in the room to begin taking note.

"He said, 'Get out of here, and if any of my men say anything to you, tell them Inuyasha says to leave you two alone.'" The little girl blushed, "He was handsome too!"

Sango coughed awkwardly, almost choking on her tea. A girl at her age thinking such things made her both want to laugh and blush at once. "So he defended you?"

The older boy nodded, "Yeah, these two others were bothering us when he came."

"What did he look like?" Everyone seemed surprised that Kagome was still there. Her pearl gray eyes mirrored her curiosity, "This Inuyasha."

"He had pretty gold eyes and white hair." The girl offered, already halfway done with Sango's gift.

"So he's old?" Kagome asked.

"No, he seemed to be the age of my papa."

"And how old is your father?" Sango asked, sitting down next to Kagome.

The little girl paused, looking at her brother for support. Suddenly she sprung up from her seat proudly, "I heard mama say papa was twenty three!"

The princess couldn't help but become curious as to what their leader looked like. For someone at twenty three to have white hair . . .

Her brother seemed to be remembering the events of that night vividly. When he spoke, he was hesitant. "His hair looked more silver. He had a golden hoop in his left ear . . .and he had brown vest and baggy white pants." The artist began drawing at a faster pace. "He had a really big sword, it didn't look like it fit in the scabbard, but when we were running we saw it transform." Sango nodded at the boy.

"You have a very good memory."

"He was really handsome!" his little sister chirped, giggling.

"I see." Sango blushed, "Thank you both for your help. Eri will show you to your room and will help out with the care of your baby brother."

The young maiden appeared at the door when her name was mentioned, obviously she had been eavesdropping, and escorted the children from the room.

"Did you get all of that Ayame?" Kagome got up from her bed and walked over to where the painter was working away, obviously in some kind of artist's trance.

"Almost done."

"Good. He seems to care about little children. What do you know? He has a weakness." Sango paced back and forth, one hand on the sword at her hip.

Ayame coughed, giving a triumphant grin that indicated she was finished. "Based on the lack of information this is the best I could put together . . ."

Sango slowly picked up the cloth, pulling it taut and staring at it with a critical eye. "Yeah, that's him. Perfect work Ayame."

Ayame blushed and nodded, picking up her materials and heading out, stopping only long enough to accept her payment. "Tell me if you need any more help."

"Thank you, again, Ayame. We will."

"So, we finally have a name and a face," Sango cocked her head in thought, "I was right, he isn't that bad looking, now that I have a chance to get a closer look at him."

Kagome let out a laugh, "Let me see. He probably has a mouth full of yellow teeth!"

Sango handed over the painting, "I must go, the others and I are going after them to try and find their hideout. We're asking a few other thief parties."

Kagome nodded, "Be safe." Sango acknowledged the gesture with a smile, picking up her giant boomerang from the corner and called Shikon Warriors from their posts as she went down the hall.

The Princess looked back down at the picture, resting on her bed. Pulling it taut like Sango had just done she let out a gasp.

Those eyes . . .

They danced with glory, bravery, and malice, yet also hidden beauty and compassion.

All balled up into those _two gold eyes_.

Suddenly she wished she could meet this Inuyasha, King of the Sengoku Jidai.


	3. Caged

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Thief of Hearts

Sakura Katsana

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Disclaimer: You poor thing… you still think _I _own Inuyasha? I think you should get some rest.

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Sakura's Note: I'm glad to be back, although the trip was great.

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Chapter 3: Caged

"Well then, that was quite a diversion!" Gatenmaru laughed, punching Miroku's shoulder. "You injured, too!"

A roar of laughter let up around the room, Miroku sucked in air and waved his hand, using the other to grip to his shoulder. "Yeah, quite… quite a diversion alright." They loved doing that…

"Oi! It's Kikyo!" Onigumo grinned from ear to ear, literally knocking his brother down in the process of rushing to the silent woman.

"Hey, watch it you insolent little bastard!" Naraku seethed, dropping his calm outer exterior.

Two other Jidai helped Naraku get up, him grumbling about the sake ruining his clothes.

"Why hello there, Kikyo," Onigumo laughed heartily, leaning in a bit too close for comfort. "Haven't seen you around for a while…"

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That's because I was locked in my room…imbecile. "Onigumo," she said coldly, walking away faster than he could get his drunken behind up.

The thief's shoulders slumped forward, his head lowered, and he slumped back over to the group of howling men. "Oh shove it!" The men continued to bark, slapping their hands against their thighs.

They'd always been the kind to laugh at rejection.

It wasn't _that_ funny.

Well…

Maybe it was.

"Naraku, why's she avoiding me?" Onigumo whined, returning to his embarrassed brother's side.

"You're not exactly something a woman would look at," Naraku admitted, taking another swig of his beer. "She ain't that special herself, either."

"How can you say that!?" Onigumo continued, pounding his fist down upon the table. "She's ungodly! No wonder she's holy in Japan!" The beady-eyed man smirked, looking at her backside as she walked away, "I can see why…"

"You're a pervert, Onigumo," Ryoukan growled, "More perverted than the rest of us when drunk anyway."

"But seriously, why's she avoid me?"

Naraku finished off his drink, grabbing up a piece of ham. "You're so injured all the time, you're wrapped in bandages half your life!"  
  
Inuyasha smirked, "Not that bad of a disguise though, no one outside of us ever sees him without 'em."

Kikyo sighed, double checking all the exits to see them guarded by the more burley looking members of the Jidai.

No way out.

She'd better make the best of the fresh air.  
  
Most of the Jidai men steered clear knowing that Inuyasha would most likely kill them for touching her. At least she could help herself to the food without getting too much attention.

Inuyasha sighed, looking over at his best friend. "So, did you see the wench that caused us to use all Onigumo's bandages on you?"  
  
"Those were his?!"  
  
"Yeah, but Gatenmaru poured some water on them before. Don't worry, Miroku." Inuyasha grabbed another drum stick, chomping away at it. "Anyway, I know where we're raiding next."

All eyes were now on him, the cave in pin drop silence.

"How's our loot supply, boys?" Inuyasha leapt up atop a table, then to his chair.

"It's the best we've ever had! Over a hundred chests of gold!" Mukotsu piped up, clapping for no one in particular.

"Yes, and it's all because of our wonderful, brave, strong, powerful, mighty, majestic, handsome, oh-so-manly leader Inuyasha!" Jakotsu squealed, clapping his hands and giggling like a geisha.

The wind could be heard swirling past the other members of the Jidai, a disturbed look on their everyone's face - especially Inuyasha's.

"Shut up, Jakotsu! No one asked you! Gods man! Our leader's straight!" Miroku whapped the man on the head before looking back at Inuyasha with an air of fulfillment.

Jakotsu sighed, depression written all over him. "I know…"

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. His brother was hopeless…

Inuyasha's eyes avoided Jakotsu's direction while he continued his speech. "Yeah, ahem, so anyway. We're as rich as we could be, that is… unless we raided Shikon."

Kikyo's eyes widened, her hand becoming limp enough to drop her grapes. She caught Inuyasha's eye, trying to tell him it was madness, but his honey orbs had already moved on before she could.

"Shikon?"

"Shikon?!"

"Yeah! We'd have all the loot we'd ever need!"

"Raid Shikon!"

Inuyasha waved a submissive hand, "Then it's settled. When we raid Shikon all our problems will be over--"

"That's suicide."  
  
Everyone looked around the group, searching for the drunken fool who'd spoken such words.

All eyes stopped on Naraku.

"What the hell Naraku? Even you have to admit that there's no down side to raiding that city!" Jinenji stated wryly. "All we'd need is five minutes and we would have more than enough!" Everyone knew that was highly exaggerated, but didn't say anything.

"Going there with so few men compared to their hundreds is suicide enough, let alone the fact that the one thing we're really after is guarded by a powerful Princess. Her mother, the Sultana, even possessing powers of her own, and the Jewel itself contains hidden magic to put our…_miko's_ to shame."

Kikyo shuddered at the coldness he'd put in the word, but said nothing. Instead she took another bunch of grapes and began eating them one by one.

The Jidai blinked in surprise.

"He speaks the truth," Onigumo admitted, seeming to lose his spark. The spell of riches and power was already being put to doubt.

…All because of Naraku.

Inuyasha growled to himself, cursing the man. Why did he always feel like he had to disagree? Who gave him any authority around here?

"Did you see how easily we handled the Shikon Warriors at that village?" Miroku retorted, defending his best friend, "We were able to ride away no more than twenty minutes later. _With_ the loot!"  
  
"How should you know, Miroku, you were being beaten by a woman the entire time!" Naraku growled but no one even snickered. He glared at his brother, who--as if a switch had been flipped--began to laugh.

"Shut it, Naraku. You're one to talk, being seduced by a gypsy to give away 30 tumans." Inuyasha flicked a stone at the man, hitting him right between the eyes.

Jakotsu snickered, "Good aim!"

"I don't see why you're trying to convince everyone they'll die when we get there. That doesn't show much faith in everyone… What do you think we're gonna do when we get there? Get shot with arrows and stabbed by swords? Keh, it's not like we're some whimpy wolves or something. No offense, Kouga."

The man in question, who wore rare wolf furs, growled, and referred to the Jidai as his pack, shrugged. "None taken."

"Naraku, we're not children. We're not old fools. We're men who know what we want and are gonna get it."

There was a roar of "Yeah!"

"We'll never have to work another day of our lives…"

"Yeah!"

"And… we'll have a lifetime supply of the best sake and beer!"

"YEAH!" The Jidai went wild, clinking goblets together, tossing around loot carelessly, and breaking out even more alcohol.

Inuyasha smirked, enjoying the looks of happiness on his men's faces. Yes, life was good.

And beer was better.

Kagome sighed, staring out her window in longing. Down below little children danced around to the tunes of the Snake Charmer, giggling with joy. One little girl, dressed in silks and velvets, got a bit too close and gasped. The old charmer just smirked, knowing all to well that the snake wouldn't bite her for no reason.

And this happened everyday.

Without even looking to her right Kagome knew that Ayame would be sitting at her stall, painting a picture of the same woman that came there everyday. She wanted a picture of herself for every day of the year. No one knew why and no one ever asked.

The fruit vendor would be yelling out how ripe his goods were in a few minutes after his afternoon nap.

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"Watermelon! Grown right in our very own Oasis! Freshly picked! Cheapest you'll find in this desert!"

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Well, of course, Kagome thought, a smile on her face. He _was_ the only vendor for miles with the melon…

Young girls her age were out with their soon-to-be husbands, laughing at the antics of the children…

How she wished she was one of them.

Willing herself to turn away, the Princess sat on her bed, petting her pet cat, Buyo. "How does it feel, Buyo? How does it feel to– "

"Princess Higurashi!" the Princess started slightly, turning to see her suitor in her doorway. He beamed happily, marveling at her like an adoring fan. She felt a little scrutinized, but knew she shouldn't say anything about it.

"Hojo!" Kagome smiled, nodding when the man bowed. "What brings you here?"

"I have a gift for you, Princess," Hojo blushed, oblivious to Kagome rolling her eyes. Why did he have to be so shy all the time?

"And where would this gift be?" Kagome played along, smiling despite his unsure behavior. Shy people made her laugh, no matter how much she wanted to yell for them to stop being so embarrassed.

"Follow me, Princess," Hojo took her hand and escorted her from the living quarters, and through the indoor garden.

They passed through the twin marble doors on the way towards the unknown destination, both nodding their appreciation to the guards that opened them. They entered a room which looked like a mini arena where the racing horses were kept. There were enough seats there incase the room was ever used for what it looked like--a fight.

But, once Kagome mother had become Sultana the fighting had virtually ceased. Kagome was proud of her, hating such violence herself.

Unlike what she heard about the stables, this room smelled quite nice. That was probably because of the incense burning in the corners though.

"There," Hojo smiled, releasing her hand for her to hold onto the railings in a very unladylike manner. "Her name is Desert Flower," the sandy-haired boy continued. He joined her after a moment, looking hesitant to touch the railing like she did. "She is a prized and very valuable mare, fit only for such royalty as yourself."

Kagome gasp, looking past the railing to where a Shikon Warrior fed the horse and apple. The horse's eyes sparkled with untamed beauty, her mane flowing gently in the breeze, her black coat a threat to the heavens. "Can I go and touch her?"

Suddenly the boy became--if possible--more nervous. "I don't know, it is awfully dirty down there. What would the Sultana say?" Hojo twiddled his fingers, looking nervously back down at the Warrior in question.

Kagome could have sworn she saw the Warrior give a slight nod.

Of course, she could have sworn she saw the innocent horse being pricked with a needle, too.

But Hojo would never do anything like that, would he? Really, what was there to hide about a horse?

Desert Flower began thrashing around, knocking the soldier to the ground before neighing and whinnying crazily, rushing past Kagome towards the exit, almost ramming into her. The soldier quickly got to his feet, grabbing the horse's reigns and tying her to a post. "Oi! Hold it, beast!"

The mare protested, jerking her head away from the man. That only earned her more yells from the Warrior. "Stop it!" Kagome cried, watching as the man brought out a whip. "As Princess of Shikon I _order_ you to!" The man was reluctant, but knew it would be worse to upset a princess than to ignore her. Especially if it reached her fiery mother.

That was when Kagome turned on her suitor, stormy eyes holding the spark they always held when she was fighting to keep her very unladylike emotions inside. "How, Hojo? How could you let him do that to her?"

"It was for your protection, Princess. Just think what could have happened had that kind Warrior not been here to help you? You might have been attacked. I don't think you should get too close yet. Wait for Desert Flower to be tamed. But, you have to admit… it _is_ just a beast."

Kagome's left eye twitched from restraining her glare. "_It_ is a mare – a she – named Desert Flower."

She was happy to see he at least had the decency to look ashamed. She didn't know if it was an act or not, but he look guilty nonetheless. "I apologize, but it is rare to refer to be- _animals_ in the ways you do… You're special, Princess… in more ways than one."

The Princess blushed. Why did he have to become charming after he angered her? "I thought you said she was a real prize, yet she knocks him around like a stallion and doesn't seem to have any training." Kagome eyed the male next to her warily, "Don't get me wrong, I love her… but I have to ask: where did you get her?"

"Get…get her?"  
  
"Yes, where did you get Desert Flower from?"

"I received her from a very reliable horse trader, his horses have been used in races before. I felt like he was a good enough seller, and Desert Flower seemed to be in need of a noble owner."

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But if he was a reliable horse trainer, then he's considered a noble in Shikon… Kagome nodded slowly, looking back down at the horse that was pacing back and forth frantically trying to free itself. She'd known the boy since she was born, or at least she was always told that. He had been three years old then, and had barely left her side. But for the life of her, she couldn't seem to fully believe what he was saying.

Who would hurt a defenseless animal? Even if it could kill you with its hooves… she still called it defenseless. Just to keep from feeling so guilty about not believing him.

As Hojo rushed off, something about important business, she could see something very familiar in the mare's eyes. Familiar from when she looked in the mirror every night and every morning, the look her eyes carried every moment she was alone.

Desert Flower wanted to be free.

"So we attack tonight then?" Miroku looked up through the hole of the cave, "A perfect night, full moon. Seems we always have the best luck during this time of the month."

Inuyasha nodded, somewhat preoccupied. He grumbled to himself, fumbling around his room in search of something.

"What is it?"

"I can't find it…" he managed to murmur, still scouring his living area.

"Um, find what?" Miroku looked from left to right, as if him glancing would bring the item right to him.

"Wind Scar's reigns…" he mumbled, lifting his satin pillow from its place on the bed. He didn't think he'd put it there, but sometimes when you drink too much sake…

"Didn't Nobunaga lose her normal reigns and then you said he could use yours until you could steal some more for him?"

The pillow dropped back down onto the plush bed, its owner with a dark look on his face "Nobunaga! I'm gonna friggin' kill you!" The leader of the Jidai stormed from the room, obscenities gushing from his mouth as if they were running from a flood.

"W-what did I do boss?!"

"You know damn well what you did! You let them steal the horses with _my_ reigns on Wind Scar! You know those were the one thing I've ever paid for!"

Miroku sighed, shaking his head in disappointment as he left the room.

How could he _buy_ anything?

"Alright men, let's get a good haul tonight. But, you know the code, you get caught, you keep your mouth shut about everything. This time it's serious, this isn't some poor defenseless village in the middle of nowhere. This is Shikon." Inuyasha shot serious looks at the more rambunctious members of their clan, silently vowing to make sure they die horribly if they screw things up.

The men nodded in agreement, securing all their weapons to their belts. There was a scurry for a moment when someone yelled they'd forgotten their lucky tiara… Jakotsu's new word for the thin crown.

"Keh, what kind of name is tiara, anyway?" Naraku sneered to Sesshoumaru. The two had a silent agreement: I hate you… but you can relate.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, not even bothering to give Jakotsu the time of day. He was straight, and had a unspoken fondness of a certain gypsy, but when Jakotsu had said Inuyasha was the prettier of the two brothers… well the blow to the ego was not appreciated.

"Feel free to take whatever you want and do whatever you want to get it," Inuyasha saw the malicious sparks in his men's eyes and quickly added, "But don't bother the brats. And remember, leave the Shikon Jewel to me."

The men nodded again, cheered, and took their last sips of sake before leaping atop their horses and flooding from Ano Horaana, the moon above shining it's light upon their next victim.

a tuman was the gold currency used by the ancient Persians. They used others, but seeing how a tuman was the most expensive I thought that would humiliate Naraku the most.

Next chapter the love birds will finally meet. ::sigh:: let the sparks fly…


	4. Playing with Fire

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Thief of Hearts

By: Sakura Katsana

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Disclaimer: Does it look like I have 22 million dollars to you?

Sakura's Note: Here's the latest chapter, hot off the presses. Sorry that I haven't updated for over a month, I hated not having the time. But, like I said in the latest Mission Completed chapter, I've been extremely busy. Chapters should come much faster now, so please bare with me.

I was thinking of making this chapter longer, but I couldn't help but add a cliffy. I ask in advance that you don't kill me. Look at it this way: Killing Authoress No more updates No good. Anyway, I should have new chapters up before my birthday for all my stories. Knowing me, I'll probably post another on my birthday, but yeah… nuff said.

R&R!

.-.

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Chapter 4: Playing with Fire

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It had been an incredibly exhausting shift, and Sango for one was ready to call it a day. Of course, the head of the Shikon Warriors for the Royal Family never really got much sleep for herself, even on the calmest days.  
  
There was always some poor sap that thought that just because they had an innocent face they could score a private meeting with the Princess.

And they weren't at all innocent.

Sango yawned, raising her arms above her head to hear the satisfying crack of her spine settling back into place. She drew the curtains to her door closed and fell onto her bed. She barely had the strength to pull of her boots, but somehow she did, and then just as she was about to pull off her shirt –

"Lady Sango!"

There went a chance at some sleep…

"All I know is it better not be another rat terrorizing the village people again…" she grumbled bitterly, stalking over to the door.  
  
A newly recruited Warrior nervously entered the room, "The Jidai bandits caught us off guard! They're raiding the village!"

Them again? "Gather everyone, we can't afford to endanger the Sultana or the Princess."

The adrenaline-pumped man nodded and dashed down the hall yelling orders down all the corridors. Horses whinnied outside, along with terrified screams and the sounds of breaking pottery and splintering tables.

Sango moved around the warriors heading to the entrance of the palace. The farther she went, the emptier it got. "Kagome! The Jidai are here, I'll put two soldiers outside your door, but surely no one will get this far."

Kagome looked up from her spot near the ivory balcony. "No."

"No? What do you mean no?"  
  
"I'm safe inside the palace. You'll be finished with them before they can reach this far anyway. Defend the villagers first and foremost. They matter the most, Sango."

"But, Kagome– " _Kagome, _you_ matter the most…_

"It's an order from the Princess." Kagome said sternly. At Sango's doubting face she gave a soft smile, "I'll be ok, Sango. Take care of yourself, and give that one you were beating on last time a good kick for me."

Something sparkled in her cousin's eyes. "Anything for the Princess." Sango disappeared down the hall, "Alright boys, this time it's personal! Take them dead or alive and don't let a single one escape!"

Kagome returned her gaze to the chaotic streets, pulling her bow from its spot in the corner. Her mother would kill her for sure if she knew she could do this… but, her mother never had to know, now did she?

Her room was the first place the Sengoku Jidai would look, but not the stables…

.-.

"Fill the damn bag or you'll be doing all your breathing from the slit in your scrawny neck," Naraku boomed, his sword pressed threateningly against the shopkeepers skin.

"A-anything you say!" Immediately Naraku was handed over a bag full of gold and the day's fresh produce. "Please, I have a family!"

Naraku ignored the man's last statement. "See, that wasn't so hard… We'll have to do business again sometime." Onigumo jumped up and down behind his brother.

"Naraku, these bandages are hot!"

"Why're you telling me? I didn't tell you to put them things on! Go loot something!" Naraku tossed the man a melon, "For having to listen to my brother whine."

Nearby, Manten chortled, "This is too easy!" With one sweep of his arm the jewelry rained down into the bandits canvas bag of goods.

Miroku watched the pillaging with only slight enthusiasm. Something was amiss… "A little too easy if you ask me." he muttered, drawing his sword. "Be on the lookout, we don't want any sneak attacks getting in the way! Inuyasha said to wait for his signal." _Inuyasha, you better not get caught. I don't think I can handle this bunch without you…_

"Freeze, Jidai."

Miroku turned with a dashing smile, "I'm sorry, did you think that would work?"

Sango frowned, "No. But I have other plans that might."

The Jidai considered this. "What might they be, beauty of the desert? Hopefully you stripping down to nothing will be your next attempt. That would certainly work." There was a flash of a very angry face, then the searing pain that came with taking a hit from her oversized boomerang.

"Give it up Jidai!" Sango growled, catching her boomerang as it returned. "I have you right where I want you."

"But, Lady Sango, we're not in a bed… I never thought of you wanting an audience." He almost burst out laughing at the expression of abject horror that flashed across her face.

"Shut up bandit!" Sango threw her boomerang more carelessly towards him. He dodged, holding his right arm gingerly. _How does he know my name?_

"Is that any way to talk to an old friend?" Miroku chided, ducking her powerful right hook.

"I don't befriend dirty," – she took another swing at him – "heartless fools."

"That wasn't very nice," the Jidai didn't need to feign hurt to look convincing. "I take a bath everyday."

She scoffed, temporarily forgetting just how dangerous the man in front of her was. "Liar."

"No, really, we have a hot springs," he continued, buying himself time. It was easy to distract this one. But, boy was she sexy mad.

The established sound of cloth ripping to release twin arm scythes was almost lost in the riot of other fights bursting out everywhere.

"Stop trying to distract me with things I really don't care about! What do you take me for?" Since the opportunity to retrieve the Jidai's bag of booty presented itself, Sango took it.

"Obviously someone much more foolish than you." Miroku muttered under his breath.A sword met her throat a bit too close for comfort, "I'll have those back now, my Lady." Miroku caused her knees to buckle with a thwack from his sword. "Sorry, Sango, but business before pleasure!" With a brusque wave of his uninjured hand, the midnight-haired thief disappeared into the pandemonium.

Moments later his voice yelling 'Hiyah, let's go.' and the fierce clap of hooves against pavement echoed in Sango's ears.

"He could have killed me…" Sango murmured, thrusting herself up off the ground. She hissed from the stinging in the backs of her knees, but ignored it as she searched for a horse.

She spotted one just ahead of her and made a run for it.

That aggravating Jidai would not lose her that easily…

.-.

He had effortlessly taken care of the pitiful amount of guards at the entrance of the golden palace. It was way too simple, really. A few flowers and a 'Welcome' banner and he'd really have felt invited.

So, being a welcomed guest of the city of Shikon, he did was guests did.

Right now, he was biting into a drumstick on his way down the south hall leaving a trail of leftovers behind him.

After finishing off his last piece of poultry Inuyasha tossed the drumstick over his shoulder and proceeded onward.

Where could they be holding his horse?

"Oh stop neighing, if you don't want to be stolen then you're going to have to stay quiet."

The leader of the Jidai paused mid-step, looking down the hall to his left disbelievingly.

"We wouldn't want a Jidai stealing you, would we?" Kagome sat down on the railing, petting the horses mane. "You're so beautiful… so free. How does it feel? The wind rushing through your hair?"

Gotcha.

When he met this woman who was with her he swore-

"You're not violent – he did something to make you do that, didn't he? …I must be crazy, expecting you to answer." Kagome gave a light laugh, her stormy orbs reflecting memories she knew she'd be lucky to have herself.

The horse known to her as Desert Flower neighed, jerking her head away from the Princess' ivory hand. She looked past her owner, her whinnies sounding delighted.

"What is it, girl?" Kagome tried steadying the exciting horse by wrapping her fingers around the golden reigns, but it didn't do any good. "Calm down, it's ok… There's nothing to be worried about."

"What the hell are you doing with my horse?"  
  
A jolt of pure shock raced up Kagome's back, making her entire body jump in reaction to the cold voice. It wasn't familiar; it wasn't one of the guards. She hadn't brought anything to protect herself, thinking it would be safe enough this deep into the thick palace walls. Whipping around, she was greeted with a face she thought she'd never see without being separated by bars.

"…Inuyasha…"

His eyes widened slightly, barely visible from where she was standing. Before she could really take notice of his confusion, he reverted back to his usual intimidating scowl. He'd always been proud of his incredibly sharp canines – that is until Kouga asked if he was some sort of dog. So, he showed them off too.

Kagome refrained from murmuring his name dreamily again, afraid of giving him the wrong idea, and backed up slowly. She kept a firm grip on the reigns. He wasn't taking her horse away from her, not when she finally had a way of–

"Let go of her." When the girl didn't comply, he took a menacing step forward. In doing this, he noticed she took a step back.

"She's mine and I won't let someone like you take her!"

"Well then, I guess I should get going, shouldn't I?" Inuyasha mocked backing away terrified, before scoffing at the look of hope on her face. "Not a chance, bitch."

The raven haired Princess bristled at the name, "What do you want with my horse anyway? Don't you already have enough? I mean, you already smell like twenty of them!" She would have already been holding her nose if it wasn't for the fact that both her hands were occupied at the moment. One holding the reigns, the other hiding the jewel around her neck.

Inuyasha froze. He could have sworn he'd seen red for a moment. This… this _wench… _this **_bitch_** had tried to insult _him_? She had guts, he had to admit. But, there was a difference between having guts and just being plain stupid.

He cracked his knuckles, rolled his shoulders, and waved a hand. "That's not how it works, girl. You don't try and get the best of me. Especially not when I'm five seconds away from mauling you beyond recognition."

Kagome glared – intensely.

Ok… new approach needed. "Look, this horse is mine, so– "

"Desert Flower is mine!"

"…Desert Flower…? DESERT _FLOWER_?!" He roared. All out roared, the name echoing through the halls. "You steal my horse and then give it a _sissy_ name like THAT?!"

"But…" Kagome stopped, pursing her lips together stubbornly. _It _is _a sissy name…_ _but I didn't name it. Hojo did!_

Inuyasha sighed in exasperation, reaching for his sword. He drew the rusting piece of metal, using it to point angrily at the bridle. "Read the reigns!"

Her eyes darted to the side, looking for the writing he claimed was there. In expensive gold lettering was his name along with that she figured was the horse's. "Wind Scar?"

"Wow, she can read." Inuyasha said dully, rolling his eyes. "Now get the hell out of my way, you annoying little gnat!" With much greater force than she knew he had the silver haired, violent, Jidai yanked the reigns out of her hand, making her fall back on her arse.

With an indignant growl, Kagome hoisted herself back up with a glare. The subject of her annoyance was trotting off smugly, riding his mare with an all too cheerful grin in place. "Hey!"

This girl was pushing it… "What? You waiting for me to kill you?"

Well… yeah.

Kagome looked down at the ground.

"Keh," Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Wench, you've wasted enough of my– wait." His eyes zeroed in on something just above her chest… something that he hadn't noticed before. Something round, pink, and very, very valuable…

Kagome followed his gaze back to her, immediately covering the jewel back up with her hand. _Oh no…_

"On second thought…"

Too late.


	5. Birds of a Feather

****

Thief of Hearts

__

Sakura's Note: I survived Freshman Hell Week! (Without even a petty insult from an upperclassman, I might add) Spirit week is over, the Homecoming game was tonight (we WON!), and Homecoming is tomorrow. So, I apologize if this is posted a little late today. This chapter is mostly about Sango and Miroku, because they are a main pair in this fic.

It took me long enough to get over a rather ugly snag in the plot line in this chapter, so let me let you go ahead and read.

.-..-.

Chapter 5: Birds of a Feather

.-..-.

Kagome broke into a run. She stumbled, but regained her balance almost instantly due to her adrenaline. Her shoes clacked as she ran, telling the Jidai behind her exactly where she was going. "Stupid shoes!" In an effort to silence her movements, she tossed them behind her haphazardly.

Finally, her room came into view, just at the end of the hall…!

Wait. Kagome stopped; there were no footsteps behind her, no curses from the enraged King of Thieves. She let out a sigh of relief as she slipped into her room.

"Boo."

She screamed. Swirling around, azure met with gold. With a gasp, Kagome slapped the man across the face.

Oops.

She expected something like a knife at her throat, or something to strike her across the face, but she didn't expect hot breath in her ear.

"Don't do that again." He grabbed her arms roughly and pinned them behind her back with a callused hand. Kagome jerked in every direction she could, pulling and pushing her body away from him as best she could.

"Hold still, woman!" He shook her and she felt the tie securing the jewel around her neck go taut, then the weight of the Shikon Jewel disappear all together. In one swift movement the Jidai had stolen Shikon's way of life and was at the door.

In the second it took him to turn, Kagome grabbed the one thing she knew could hold him. "Don't move." It surprised her how little of a quiver remained in her voice. There was more anger there than terror. The princess pulled the bow's string taut, aiming it for the hand carrying the jewel.  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, his entire face mocking her ability. "So this is the secret weapon of the Jewel Protector, eh? Keh, I've seen better in Ano Horaana…" He snorted when she scowled. _This is a joke. The girl's hand is as steady as Onigumo after he's had too much to drink._ Without another word, he took a step out of the door.

Kagome knew something she had a feeling he didn't. He was a man; therefore he would not back down from a challenge from a girl. "Drop the jewel – now, I know you're not running from me."

"Keh, you'd be amusing if it weren't for that annoying voice of yours." Maybe not what she'd imagined him to say, but he _had_ stayed. Anything would work right now.

"You truly are a foolish king."

Kagome sounded more than a little angry, he noticed, when she released the arrow she was holding. There was something about the arrow that made him weak in the knees the closer it got to him. Inuyasha was never scared, but he was concerned about why his energy was draining… and why he suddenly felt like flying off into the sunset somewhere.

He unsheathed his sword just in time for it to grow and shatter the arrow before it hit him. It had been mere inches away, and the feelings he had gotten still shook him.

__

My arrow… Kagome's eyes widened. "There is more to you than meets the eye." Inwardly, she gasped. What could have come over her to make her say that aloud?

Inuyasha scoffed. "Must say I was expecting something better from a woman such as yourself. You have that majestic look about you. I thought you'd have at least something that would make we work at least a _little_ to win at."

Deep down, he was somewhat disappointed she hadn't put up more of a fight. The entire time she was infuriating him, she was also intriguing him. He hated to admit it, but this girl had spunk.

"Typical wench as always." He hooded his regret with nonchalance.  
  
"I am not a wench! I am Kagome! Kagome! Get it? It isn't that hard of a name to understand, you arrogant, egotistical, bastard!" She hadn't meant to forget proper royal etiquette, but this man had drawn every straw she had of patience left. Without warning she drew back her fist and punched.

Inuyasha released the jewel instantly, his cheek in more than a lot of pain. It felt heavy, sore, and it throbbed – oh how it _throbbed_!

The Shikon Jewel rolled across the floor to its keeper loyally, glowing a faint pink when it touched her foot. Kagome gave a sigh of relief, sweeping it up off the floor.

__

You bitch! "Not bad, wench, not bad at all…" They both froze. He had complimented her. _You idiot! What the hell did you say that for? _

__

…huh?' Kagome scrunched up her nose in confusion. Had she just done that? _I've definitely lost my mind…_ "Leave, or you won't be so lucky to compliment me on my excellent fighting skills the next time." The moment the words left her mouth, she was in shock again. Where was this attitude _coming_ from? _Oh, if mother heard me now…_

"Inuyasha! Where the hell are you? We gotta go!" A deep voice called out from the rampant streets below.

Kagome glared, gripping the jewel so tight it made a place in her hand. _Kill him… kill him… he's right there, kill him! _But she didn't.

With a look of loss on his face the leader of the Sengoku Jidai dashed towards the window, taking the time to push Kagome out of his way to get there. He gave a high-pitched whistle before leaping off the balcony and onto his retrieved horse down below. Dozens of hooves stomped the ground as they stormed out of the city.

Kagome followed as far as her balcony. Bags of loot hung from every saddle of every thief of the Sengoku Jidai. She could make Inuyasha, ahead of the rest, calling out orders and brandishing his enchanted sword.

Kagome blinked and they were gone. Yells and cries of the wronged citizens of Shikon was all she heard for the rest of the night.

.-..-.

"The village is in ruins!" Geneva Higurashi announced sternly. "How is it possible that less than forty men managed to do that much damage in less than an hour? Every Warrior we had was fighting them, what went wrong?" She looked over the people sitting at the breakfast table with serious eyes.

The Sultana had long ago lost her husband, but because of her powerful opinions and leadership skills they had allowed her to continue the rule over Shikon. Now, thanks to that judgment twelve years ago, Shikon was in its longest Golden Age.

"Sultana, we did everything in our ability. There was some kind of magic at work, there must have been! They appeared out of nowhere -- and their King!"

Kagome's fork froze over her plate.

"Their King has powers! His sword alone transforms to become a monster when he draws it! Three men are on bed rest because of their cuts. And he is given so much respect from those Jidai mongrels."

Her younger brother, Souta, tugging on her sleeve, jerked Kagome out of her reverie.

"Kagome, pass the grapes."

Even with all the turmoil, the Sultana would not let her motherly duties die. "Souta, your manners!"

Souta sighed and repeated the phrase in a much more polite manner, although his sister could clearly see his annoyance.

Kagome dazedly handed off the fruit bowl and resumed her subtle eavesdropping on her mother's breakfast conversation.

"We followed them until their King held us off for them. They disappeared, and soon so did he."  
  
The Sultana nodded. "Tell me, why is it that Sango is not telling me this?"  
  
With her words, the entire flight of Warriors silenced their murmurs, gaining looks of sorrow. Kagome's heart dropped into her stomach, and her stomach dropped into her feet. Something was wrong. Where _was_ Sango? She couldn't have been hurt, could she?

"Sango has not been seen since yesterdays battle. We scoured the entire city, she was no where to be found. Our guess is she is with them as a captive."

"That can't be!" Kagome pounded a fist on the table. Everyone looked her way. "Sango is too good to have been so easily captured by a band of Jidai even on her worst day. If she's gone, she has a good reason and it is not because she is their captive."

"Kagome, I understand your bond with your cousin, but that is not the proper way for a Princess to behave." Her mother looked down the table at the voice in surprise. Hojo had stopped his eating, and was looking directly at the Princess.

"How dare you talk to me that way?" Kagome breathed, "You are in no position… you have no right!" The legs of her chair scraped against the floor, giving her room to storm from the room. "What authority does he think he has, anyway? He is not my King, nor my Prince, yet! Oh, Sango, how I wish you were here…"  
  
.-..-.

"Oh, come on… it isn't _that_ bad."

Sango gritted her teeth and took another few steps away from him out of annoyance. "When are you going to get that I'm not speaking to you!" The Warrior huffed and crossed her arms.

"Ah! But you just did, Sango."

With an infuriated sound from the back of her throat, Sango attempted the mature action of smothering herself with the side of his horse.

Needless to say Miroku was concerned.

"Are you alright?"

Another infuriated sound.

Kazaana neighed.

"Sango, I really don't think that's good for you…" Miroku tried, only receiving more desperate attempts at suicide from the young woman. How could he get her to stop…?

Oh, he was going to get pummeled for this…

"Actually, stay that way." Sango could hear the mischievousness in his voice. "The way you're standing I have _the_ perfect view of your delightful, delicious, heart shaped rump." She froze.

It wasn't until Miroku was blacking out did he notice that she did _indeed_ have a delicious rump.

.-..-.

Miroku slowly opened his eyes – and immediately closed them due to the powerful sunrays blinding him. He attempted to roll over, still wondering why he wasn't inside Ano Horaana, to find that he couldn't.  
  
.-..-.

Two miles away Sango could have sworn she heard the sound of that incredibly perverted Jidai screaming.

"Well, I would too if I woke up and realized I was buried from the neck down in sand…" Sango smiled gleefully as she trudged on through the hot morning sand. She had to get back – and soon. She would already get a thousand questions from the Sultana, not to mention from her own men… but, if she didn't get a move on that Jidai would be on her tail all over again.

He was annoying. He was perverted. "And he had to nerve to call me Sango!"

Stupid sand storm… the horse she'd stol– _borrowed_ from a villager had gotten spooked and was only God-knows-where, leaving only Miroku's horse pacing loyally by his side. Made her wonder… he must treat the horse good for it to have had stayed.

So, seeing how the horse was so loyal, it wouldn't budge for her.

Not even when poked angrily in the bum.

Ergo, Sango was now trudging through the desert in search of her city, determined to make it there before anyone sent out a search party for her -- all alone.

But, there was one good thing about all of this…

That Jidai wasn't with her.

He was buried neck-deep in sand, sweating profusely in the early morning sun, with a horse as his only savior. Beautiful, really. If he was as smart as she assumed he was, based on their previous meetings, then he'd realize his horse was tied to his buried arm with a long rope he'd been carrying. Get the horse to move -- you're free.

Of course, the rope was very thin… and it would easily break if the big oaf was too heavy.

Sango stopped walking, looking back behind her. It didn't do any good; she was a good five miles away by now. _I was trained to kill people like him... I gave him enough of a break by giving him a way to pull himself out. Why didn't I just get it over with?_

She sighed; the Jidai would escape.

.-..-.

Miroku brushed himself off airily, making sure no sand would be bothering him tonight. He turned to his horse with a bemused look. "She sure is an odd one, isn't she?"

Kazaana neighed.

Whether it was to agree with him or because a dozen vultures were circling overhead, Miroku didn't know, but he still smiled. "I knew you thought so too." He looked at the ground, noticing the faint sunken remains of her footprints leading off deeper into the desert. The Jidai shook his head. "She's going the opposite way. Might as well go off and help her, she won't meet anyone for weeks that way."

He, unlike the feisty Warrior Princess, was not about to let her roam around aimlessly for days until she starved to death.

He knew this desert better than he knew the Jidai Code, and she obviously didn't. The problem would be when he returned to Ano Horaana to all the questions about the woman. He couldn't exactly say she buried him in sand whilst he was unconscious; they would guffaw to no end. They wouldn't let him live it down -- ever. He doubted even Inuyasha would be able to keep a straight face.

He couldn't tell them he went out of his way into the endless desert on the outskirts of Shikon to save a Shikon Warrior; that had to be a code breaker if he'd ever heard one. Of course, he hadn't heard most of the Code since he was a teenager, but it just seemed like such a...such a _good_ thing to do.

__

Good was not good in the Sengoku Jidai.

Also, he couldn't tell them that he had been with her so long already without harming an auburn hair on her beautiful head. That _definitely_ had to be against the Code.

But, he didn't care. Inuyasha was his best friend and would understand.

...maybe he should come up with a good ol' fashioned lie?

Until last night, women had been his main focus, but right now Sango had replaced all others. She challenged everything he knew, and was more fiery than any other woman he'd ever had the pleasure to meet.

Sango wasn't scared of him, nor was she afraid to speak her mind. And, if he wasn't mistaken, she clearly was unique. He'd never seen a woman with so many men fighting under her command, demanding as much respect, and with such an air of complete loneliness ever before.

Before he knew it, he could spot the stubborn woman ahead of him.

Sango continued muttering to herself. "Damn man... Why do I care at all if he doesn't escape? He's getting what he deserves!" She stomped her feet extra hard, only making her more exhausted. "But it wasn't an honorable defeat. It should be hand-to-hand combat..." She cursed -- colorfully.

Miroku smirked, his horse silently trotting along behind her.

"He'd probably gone from there anyway... No one is that stupid... Well, maybe _he_ is..."

Miroku frowned.

"Just forget about him... But he's so _annoying_! So _obnoxious! _So...so... **_perverted_**!"

"Don't forget devilishly handsome."  
  
"Yeah! That too-" Sango's magenta eyes widened, and her heart stopped. She positioned her arms so the already exposed blades were poised to strike. "...Jiiiiiiiidaiiiiiii!" The eighteen year old whirled around, narrowing missing cutting his stomach.

With a gulp, Miroku ducked and rolled, grabbing her by the leg. They both fell, the Jidai on top, onto the ground. Sand billowed out from under them, making clouds form around them in large puffs.

"Get off of me!" Sango snapped, knocking him to the side. "Who do you think you are?! I am your _enemy_, not your playmate! Get your priorities straight, Jidai."

"You're going the wrong way." It was all he said, and then he mounted his horse and continued off in the direction he'd come from.

Sango cocked her head to the side, giving her a very comical expression. She stared dumbly in the direction the infuriating thief had gone.

.-..-.

Kagome leaned back on the cool marble wall of her bedroom with the small glowing jewel clutched tightly in her palm.

She had been so close... So close to losing the jewel and failing the entire city. It was all because of one Jidai whose face continued to surface in her memory. She could remember everything about him.

His insults... his scowl... his intense honey orbs full of unreadable emotions... shimmering silver hair that had swirled around his face as he rode off with his men...his well-toned muscular chest covered by the vest it seemed he never took off... His temper...his cockiness...

Kagome jerked her eyes open, coming out of her reverie. That Jidai was truly a man of violence, yet there was something she couldn't place about him. Something in him was hiding, and she was determined that if they ever met again she would find out.

The leader of the Sengoku Jidai was considered a Prince, and if the opportunity presented itself he would be eligible to claim the Shikonian throne. A scary thought, but his father had once been a noble. She had learned that today.

She was a princess... He was a prince... So it wouldn't be that bad if... She slammed the proverbial brakes in her head, shaking the thoughts out of her mind. How could she be thinking such things about a Jidai? The _King_ of the Jidai, for that matter! She had to admit, he was handsome, and strong, but he was not the kind of man she was after. No one with such an evil heart as his was (or so she'd heard) could never even be an ally, let alone anything more.

Thoughts like those came sometimes, probably because someone so free attracted a part of her.

One thing, though, she did know.

Both herself and Inuyasha were hawks, but she was the only one caged.


	6. Are You In, Or Are You Out?

****

Thief of Hearts

Sakura's Note: I've been working all week trying to get all three updates ready for all three stories, and somehow Friday came very fast. Luckily, today there wasn't any school so I was able to write all of this.

Now there's a thunderstorm, and I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stay on the computer. So, let me hurry and scribble down this A/N. This chapter is more within the Jidai's lives more so than Kagome's. Until there's more romance, this will most likely be the format.

Next time I'll try and respond to individual reviews, so be sure to include any questions you have.

Please R&R and enjoy this chapter!

.-..-.

__

Chapter 6: Are You In, Or Are You Out?

.-..-.

"That was pointless." Naraku griped. He was sitting atop his pile of gold, making him look like he'd sprouted golden tentacles as legs. "We spent most of the time fighting, and for what?"

Inuyasha rubbed his throbbing temples. He'd been listening to this all day. "Naraku--"

"No jewel! That's what!" Naraku continued, directing his angry glare at his King. "We fought for nothing!"

"Damn it, look what you're sitting on!" Kouga snapped, pointing angrily at Naraku's loot. "Shut up! No one wants to hear you complain!"

Ginta nodded, along with Ryoukan.

"I don't care what you say! You're all suck-ups. What all did you get out of it, anyway?" Naraku asked, ignoring the golden coin covering that once was their floor.

"We got more loot, that's what!" Bankotsu argued, tossing a handful of rubies around. "You've been going on about this since we got back, and you're giving us all headaches."

Inuyasha glared, "Naraku, you're being an ass."

Naraku spit at the ground, covering a few gold coins with saliva, before stalking out of the room.

Sesshoumaru watched calmly. Once the usual eating and partying resumed, he made his way over to his brother. "Watch it, Inuyasha. If you keep making judgments like this one, you might not be King for long."

"Is that a threat?"  
  
His brother chose not to answer. "It's my shift for the horses."  
  
"Damn it, answer me!" Inuyasha hissed, grabbing the older man's shirt. "Don't you dare keep secrets from your King."

"I'd be a better leader, Inuyasha. Don't throw the title in my face. After all, it was just a fluke that you beat me. Father would have wanted me to be King." Sesshoumaru jerked free and headed towards the entrance of Ano Horaana to tend to the horses outside.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath. So his brother wanted the throne? He'd be damned if he let his brother have it. Of course, he knew he was being unfair by giving Sesshoumaru barely any authority... But it was the only way to make sure he didn't try and take over. They were brothers, but they were by no means close.

Their father had probably wanted them to be the perfect image of brotherly love, but when he died the act had stopped.

As it was, Inuyasha was the King of the Sengoku Jidai and he intended on keeping it that way.

.-..-.

Naraku watched as the two brothers broke away from one another, Inuyasha left looking a little bit shook up. It must have been a serious argument this time...

"Naraku." Onigumo shuffled into the hallway where Naraku was. "I think we have a winner."

With a smirk, the two of them sauntered back into the dining hall, only to exit Ano Horaana altogether -- unnoticed.

Sesshoumaru was counting the horses when he sensed someone watching him. He turned to see both Naraku and Onigumo coming towards him. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, "What is it?"

"We noticed your disagreement with Inuyasha." Naraku started coolly. "And we agree with you."

"When you say noticed, you obviously mean eavesdropped, correct?" Sesshoumaru watched their expressions change slightly. No more did they only look conspiratorial, they also looked sinister.

"Yeah, we did." Naraku admitted, "Inuyasha isn't the rightful King; he can't run things. He's all run-in-head-first, where as we know there is logic behind planning. We already lost one Jidai because of it."  
  
"Miroku." Onigumo supplied, fidgeting with his bandages anxiously.

Sesshoumaru continued to look impassive. "What are you planning to do about it?"

"We're planning on overthrowing him; turning him in. We'll give the Shikon Guards the password to Ano Horaana. While they're gone, getting Inuyasha and his other loyal kiss ups, we'll raid Shikon of their precious Jewel." Naraku smirked devilishly. "It's the perfect _logical_ plan. It will be his undoing."

"And who will take over once everything's said and done and my brother is behind bars?"

"Naraku will be King."

Naraku looked pretty pleased with this little fact. "Onigumo has the right idea."

"If you heard our conversation correctly, you'd understand that I feel I'd suit the role better." Sesshoumaru pointed out, resuming his work.

There was a look of concern on Naraku's face, but it was gone in an instant. "Done."

Sesshoumaru stopped filling the water trough and looked up. "You're giving up leadership just to have me on your side?"  
  
"Why not? Either way I will still have that annoying Jidai out of my hair and out of our lives. Both of us have the kind of mind needed. It's a win-win. So, are you in, or are you out?"

They watched anxiously as the brother of their King thought it over. But, they could hardly contain their excitement when they saw a glimmer of pleasure in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

"I'm in."

.-..-.

It wasn't fair. At all.

"I should have just killed you." Sango hissed hatefully. "It would have been so much easier."

Miroku only grinned more. "But then you'd have been walking in the wrong direction for two weeks without any water or food before you died a horrible death and hoards of vultures fought over which part of you they'd eat."

The Shikonian pondered this. "Well... I can survive that."

"You can survive hoards of vultures eating your flesh?" Miroku's eyebrows were raised in surprise. "Wow, you really are something extraordinary."

Sango just huffed. "You know what I meant, pervert."

"When was the last time I did something perverted to you?" The Jidai countered. "And don't count when I was tying you up. I couldn't help but touch you then."

"You shouldn't have tied me up at all!" Sango argued, testing the ropes on her wrists again. "And since you weren't tying up my breasts I don't see why you had to touch them! I could have tied myself up myself if you were so gung-ho about it."

"Ah, but that's not one of the perks of being a Jidai hostage, Sango dear." Miroku chided lightly, winking over her shoulder.

Sango ignored this and continued warily, "What type of perks?"

Miroku smirked, "You can ravish me as much as you want, and I won't do anything to stop you."

"I hope none of your male hostages took advantage of that one..." Sango muttered, smiling in satisfaction when the thief behind her stiffened at the implication.

"Can't say they have." He managed, urging Kazaana forward.

There was an odd sound from the woman sitting in front of him, and he gave an amused frown.

"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing." Sango screwed up her mouth to force the smile away.

"You laughed, didn't you?" He seemed just as amazed as he was.

"How could I ever laugh at something a _Jidai_ said?" She asked, straightening her back. This meant she had to be in contact with Miroku's chest, but it wasn't as bad as it sounded. "Where exactly are you taking me, anyway?"

"Shikon." Miroku answered simply.

"Shikon?" Sango sounded surprised. "But, I'm your hostage! Why are you taking me back?"

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you wanted to come back with me." Miroku mused. Lucky for Sango he didn't notice the stain coming to her cheeks.

"In your dreams, Jidai."  
  
"I said I knew better." He shrugged. "Of course you don't want to know where our hiding place is, what the password is, and how many of us there are."

Sango froze. _Damn!_

She could feel Miroku's chest vibrating in time with his laughter. "In any case, it will be a while until we reach your precious homeland. So, why don't you get some shut eye?"

"And let you feel me up? I don't think so." Sango looked down at one of the many bags hanging off Kazaana's saddle. In one of them were all of her weapons, and her ticket to freedom. She was completely defenseless as it were. "I should have just killed you."

"Everyone has their regrets."

That's when Sango realized something. "Where's my Hiraikotsu?"

"I left it."

"WHAT?!"

.-..-.

Kagome finished tying the ruby sash around her waist and stepped out from behind the screen. Her outfit was scarlet, cascading down her figure to meet her feet where the pants were tied at her ankles. Her top, made for summer weather, was off the shoulder and the sleeves were see-through.

She'd been trying on new clothes since early that morning. Her mother had insisted that it would keep her mind off the troubles of the city. Especially the loss of her cousin. Riders had found her boomerang discarded in the sand.

When she'd heard, Kagome had cried her eyes out until her mother had finally intervened and handed her thirty or so new garments.

Now, she was basically numb.  
  
Sango was the only person that had seen the outside of the castle and spoken kindly of it. Her mother had made sure Kagome never had to walk the streets and dirty her shoes with the sand like she had had to do. Therefore, Kagome had never been outside. Unless, of course, standing on the balconies of the palace counted.

And now her only source of escape was gone.

Wind Scar had never been her horse, so she couldn't exactly be _angry_ at Inuyasha for taking her back. The fact that her hopes had been so high for a few hours was what killed her.

"Princess?"

Kagome knew that voice; Hojo was at her door.

She turned with a spark of fire in her eyes, but otherwise looking completely calm as usual. "Hojo."

"I apologize for this morning, but as your suitor I couldn't stay silent. You would have gone crazy had someone not calmed you..."

Kagome's eyes widened, and her calm exterior shattered. He was supposed to be her King? "I would not have gone crazy! My cousin was like my sister, and I've lost her! You do not know how it feels to have lost someone, Hojo, and you don't have the right to try and calm me the way you did."

"Princess, please, calm yourself--"

"No! I will not stay calm when you're acting like some pompous jerk!" She glared. While he was there, she might as well ask him what had been nagging her all morning. "I have a question for you."

Hojo looked worried. "Anything, my Princess."

Oh, how she hated being called that night and day! "Where did you get my horse?"

"I told you, Princess, from a reliable horse trader." His look of worry changed to one of confusion. "Why?"

Kagome laughed darkly. "That's funny, because it already belongs to someone." She gauged his reaction.

"You're talking nonsense! Desert Flower--"

"Her name wasn't Desert Flower, either! It's Wind Scar." She ignored Hojo's blatant look of disgust. "You gave me someone else's horse! _Inuyasha's _horse!"

Her suitor balked. "Princess--"

"Stop calling me that! That isn't my name! My name is Kagome!" She glared. "How could you steal from the stables? How could you _endanger_ me like that by giving me the King of Thieves' horse?" If it hadn't been for the Jewel, she wouldn't have been in trouble, but it was much more dramatic the way she was leading him to believe it.

"Prin-- Kagome, I know you're upset, but that horse was Shikon's now."

"You accuse them of stealing and then steal from them yourself!" Kagome argued, "I should tell my mother! You stole from Inuyasha, and you stole from Shikon! And you _lied_ to me! There is no way you couldn't have known."

"Why are you acting as though you know this first hand?" Hojo looked suspicious. "Are you keeping something from me?"  
  
That was when Kagome snapped. "Keeping something from you? _Keeping_ something from _you_?!" She screamed out of frustration. "YOU are not one to talk about keeping something from anyone! I want you out. You are no longer my suitor."

"I love you, Princess. I might be bold, but it's true. I can't allow you to make such a request."

"How will you stop me?" She dared, picking up her bow. "By force? You would surely be kicked out of Shikon for that."

Hojo blinked; Kagome was right. "You will change your mind, Kagome. I know it in my heart of hearts."

Kagome scoffed, "I don't think I'm sorry to say I won't."

"I need to discuss this with your mother." Hojo relented and left the room.

"You go do that." She whispered, stomping over to her balcony angrily. "I need to get out of here... But where will I go?"

.-..-.

They needed food.

The Sengoku Jidai had run out that morning, and were starving. The problem? The ride to the gypsies would take half a day, and only half of his men would move.

Inuyasha was annoyed -- and hungry. For the other Jidai it was a dangerous combination and they were pushing it. "Come on, let's go!"

Naraku sneered from his spot at the empty keg of sake. "You wish."

Sesshoumaru was already on his horse, waiting impatiently with Nobunaga, Ryoukan, Kouga, Ginta, Hakkaku, Jinenji, and a hand full of others. They didn't look too happy sitting out in the sun.

"If everyone doesn't go then we won't be able to carry back the food and the liquor." Nobunaga complained, gaining everyone's attention. He was the youngest there, yet he seemed to be have gotten through to them.

"Alright, we're going." Onigumo snapped, throwing his hands up in surrender. "There's no way we're gonna go without beer."

"Tha's right!" Jinenji agreed, "Now let's go."

Jakotsu, who was next to Inuyasha, beamed. "Ok everyone! Onto the horses! The gypsies won't wait around forever."

"They don't even know we're coming!" Gatenmaru argued, leaping onto his horse.

"Of course they do!" Jakotsu argued, "They have fortune tellers!"  
  
Inuyasha sighed. This was going to one hell of a long ride.

.-..-.

Miroku kept silent, allowing Sango to talk herself into a coma. She had gotten bored with him not responding and gone to sleep around half an hour ago. What made him puff up with pride is that she felt comfortable enough in his presence to fall asleep. Or maybe it was because she was too exhausted to stay awake any longer. He preferred his idea better though.

Up ahead he could make out the sand dunes that marked Ano Horaana. She had fallen for him taking her home easily. But, he had to save face first. Now, all he had to do was get inside without her waking up.

He muttered the opening mantra and Ano Horaana appeared, the moon shining down over it mystically. "Welcome home, Miroku..." he muttered to himself.

.-..-.

Sango woke up in an entirely foreign place. The walls were not marble, there were no windows, and the only light came from somewhere off in the distance. When she tried to move she noticed two things; she was lying on something extremely soft, and she wasn't tied up.

"Kagome?" She raised her head up off the bed and tried to look around. It was too dark to tell exactly where in the room she was, or how large it was, but she did still see the light. Was she back at the palace? Were the curtains drawn?  
  
Getting up off the bed proved simple enough, but finding her way without bumping into anything was a challenge. "Oof!"

"Ah, you're awake."

Sango stopped. "Where am I?"  
  
"The question is, how in the world was a lowly Jidai able to fool an able-bodied Shikon Warrior Princess?" Miroku smirked in the darkness and leaned on the threshold to his room. "Luckily no one else was here, or you'd be sitting in some dark, drippy chamber in the back."

"Where are we?" Sango demanded, following his silhouette to the entryway. "This is not Shikon and this is not funny!"  
  
"Oh, like it was funny when you made me a living sand castle?" Miroku countered, walking down the hall.

She followed. "I gave you a way to escape!"

"You'll be out of here before you know it." Miroku soothed, stopping.

"What do you mean?" Sango eyed him warily. "How do you expect me to trust you at all? You fooled me into believing I was going home!"

"'Tis the way of a Jidai, my lady. My sincerest apologies, but you are my hostage, after all. I couldn't tell you we were coming here, or you would know the way in."

It was bright enough now that Miroku could see Sango's dry expression. He laughed, "Never mind Shikonian formalities. Just come on, I'll explain everything in the dining hall."

"You're damn well right you'll give me an explanation!" Sango hissed, "How dare you kidnap me... Wow..." She gasped upon entering the room she figured was the dining hall. It seemed the room was flooded with gold and jewels. Although it was unlawful, it was still beautiful.

Miroku, though, didn't seem to revel in it's beauty as much as she did. Instead, he plopped down in a seat and gestured for her to sit as well.

Sango chose the seat opposite his, to which he shook his head. "Don't sit there."

"And why not?"

"Did you happen to see a man covered in bandages last time our two sides met?" He asked airily. She balked and made her way to another seat. "Alright, deal time."

Sango glared.

"We both need to save face. If you stay here and pretend that I kidnapped you--"

"Which you did!"

"--until the others return then I won't have to explain why I was two days late to our celebration. Then, you can return to Shikon with the heroic tale of escaping the clutches of the Sengoku Jidai with little more than a scratch."

While she was thinking this over, Miroku scanned the room for food. Upon finding none, he added, "They should be gone until late tomorrow."

"Late tomorrow?!" Sango shot up from her sit angrily, "I don't think so! I can easily leave this place and return saying I was held up due to a sand storm."

"But isn't that against the Shikonian code?"

"What do you know of any type of code? Thieves don't have any rules at all!"

Miroku laughed. "Ha ha, that's funny." He leaned back in his chair. "Sango, dear, we have the Jidai code. Break those guidelines, and your punishment is worst than death."

"I still don't get why I should stay. I could easily go back and be welcomed, I'm sure Kagome is dying in that place without me there, anyway. Without me, no one barely treats her like a real person!" The Warrior mentally cursed. _Why did I just say that? You're a damn fool, Sango._

Miroku raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Look, I guarantee you a safe escape."

Sango kept her mouth shut.

"No one will try anything when they get back, because, technically, you're mine as of now. Well, that doesn't sound so convincing, does it?" He rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. "I won't try anything either! The entire time you're here I can assure you that you will not be groped, manhandled, or assaulted."

She still didn't respond.

Miroku sighed. "Fine."  
  
"...what's the code?"  
  
The Jidai jumped, startled by her voice. "W-what?"

"What's the Jidai code?" She reiterated eagerly. Sango had to admit; she was interested.

"Number one; no mutiny." He settled his chair back on all fours and opened his mouth to continue.

"The punishment?"  
  
"You're killed."

"Oh yeah, that's worse than death." Sango drawled, yawning.

Miroku rose an eyebrow, "Yeah? Number two; no stealing from your fellow Jidai. Punishment; whatever you stole with is cut off."

Sango winced at that, but was still grossly interested. "Has it ever happened?"

"Who would be crazy enough to test it out?" Miroku closed one eye and thought for a moment. "Number three; no turning one another in. Punishment; you're buried in the desert for seven days and seven nights."

"That doesn't sound like it's as harsh as the crime..." Sango thought aloud.

"With scorpions buried with you." When Sango looked up, Miroku's face was totally serious. "Number four; no molesting the pri--" He quickly moved on. "Number five--"

"Wait, wait, wait! Why'd you skip four?" Sango narrowed her eyes.

"It's not that important."

"Molesting is pretty important to everyone." Sango rebuked.

Miroku sighed. "No molesting the... Prince."

Sango choked. On what, Miroku didn't know. All he knew was that she did. "WHAT?!"

"No molesting the Prince." Yeah, that was good. If Sango managed to find Kikyo, everything would be over. She could free her, he knew it, and then they would be dead.

"You have a Prince?" Sango asked, still trying to recover.

"King, Prince, he can be called both."

"Who would molest--"

"Dunno."

"Well, what's the punishment?" She breathed.

"Having the skin pealed off your hands." Well, if it was the punishment for touching the priestess, it could be the punishment for touching Inuyasha. "Number five... Inuyasha made up."

The Shikonian cocked her head to the side. "So?"  
  
"He wouldn't want an outsider to know..."

Miroku looked over at Sango worrisomely. If she knew the fifth -- and last -- code that Miroku knew, then she would know their weakness. The one way they could find a way to beat them.

"Why?" Sango looked over at him just as she got an idea. "I'll make a deal with you. If you tell me, then I'll stay here until tomorrow."

"You will?" Miroku looked unbearably hopeful.

"Only until midday, if they're not back by then I'm gone." She allowed herself to reach out her hand to allow him to shake it, hoping he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

He stretched out his hand as well. "Deal."

"So what is it?" Sango pressed.

"Number five; no harming children." Miroku stopped when he saw how crestfallen his 'hostage' was. "What is it?"

"...I already knew that." Sango groaned, "I made a deal with you for-"

"Nothing." Miroku finished, a smirk forming on his face. "Congratulations Sango, you have the pleasure of my company until tomorrow afternoon."

He looked absolutely ecstatic; Sango just looked dead.


	7. Hollow

****

Thief of Hearts

__

Sakura's Note: My apologies for getting this chapter out a week late. I have lots to do, and could barely find time to write at all in the past few weeks.

Quickly, let me just say that I have started a mailing list on notify If you don't have an account at or you do and still want to know when I post even when is having technical difficulties, then sign up. The link is in my bio. I have done this for famous authors like Rozefire, and it's a great way to find out easily when the next chapter is being posted.

Anyway, onto the chapter.

.-..-.

__

Chapter 7: Hollow

.-..-.

The sun finally peaked over the dunes, bathing the entire gang of Jidai in morning light. Stars were fading into the darkness and winds whipped harshly. Sand swirled around the hooves of their horses and settled in the winkles of their clothes. Everyone was hungry, but they had stopped grumbling about it hours ago. They were already salivating at the thought of fresh stock of food up ahead.

Tents already peaked out from the sand in front of them.

"Don't let them con you out of anything, Naraku." Ginta jeered, speeding up his mare.

Naraku sneered in response.

In the lead, Inuyasha could now make out the shadowed figures of the gypsies starting their daily routines. Out of instinct their horses sped up the closer they got to the camp. Soon they entered the gypsy territory in a wave.

Inuyasha stifled a yawn, watching as an old man hobbled out of his home with a grin. "Back so soon Jidai? Have you truly gone through your food so fast?" He didn't look too upset to hear this, though. The more they ate -- the richer they got.

Onigumo scoffed. "Well of course! What other reason would we come _here_?"

The old man frowned. "Because you grew up here, fool. And to check on your sisters."

"Speak of the devil..." Naraku hissed, glaring as three figures approached.  
  
The oldest of the three women paused on her way to her tent and looked over. She darted a glance at Onigumo, then at Naraku. "You!" She stormed forward, giving them both a strop slap. "What are you doing here? I told you never to come back!"

"You say that every time, Kagura." Onigumo reminded, "We never take it seriously."

She slapped him again. "Get what you need and get out, the both of you." With a glare that could freeze the sun she headed back off to join the other two dancers. She looked over her shoulder as an afterthought, "The rest of you are permitted to stay."

"Alright!" Jakotsu squealed, tying off his own horse.

Sesshoumaru eyed the others coolly before turning to leave. That was when he felt a hand slap down on his shoulder.

"My sister is not up for grabs, Sesshoumaru." Naraku reminded, successful in stopping the stoic thief. "Not even to you."

"My business is none of your concern." He said coldly, "Neither is your sister's. She has lived here on her own long enough to make her own decisions." He took another step before Onigumo stood in front of him.

"You're joking, right?" He laughed. "We ain't letting our sister have any happiness!"

"We control her life." Naraku admitted, "Her heart is in_ our_ hands; we decide who she falls for."

Sesshoumaru looked them both over, as if watching an annoying fly. "And your plot is in mine. Inuyasha could easily find out this plan of yours."

Onigumo sputtered. "That's blackmail!"

"Call it what you like." Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I call it stating the facts. Now, I must be on my way." He turned, leaving both men in a state of worry.

"He's bluffin', ain't he Naraku?" Onigumo whispered, still aware of how close the others were. "Sess won't tell anyone about what we're planning, will 'e?"

"He isn't a rat. Never would he tell his brother anything. Besides, he's going to be ruler, what fool would ruin his once in a lifetime opportunity?"

Onigumo smirked, "You're always right, Naraku."

"Of course I am." His brother walked off, leaving him to stare off where Sesshoumaru had gone alone. "Of course I am."

.-..-.

She was an angel.

He'd been checking in on her constantly during the night. Once, he earned a hit to the head, but it was worth it. In sleep the fiery warrior princess he'd come to know as Sango was a totally different person. She looked so carefree and peaceful. Yes, she did drool sometimes, but that only made her human. Not some dolled up creature; the kind he usually went for.

With a sigh he stopped at the entrance of her temporary guest room. The sun was currently still to his left, which meant it was early morning. The sundial in the dining hall seemed to tell the same thing. But it was time for her to get up.

Without any announcement, Miroku entered the room. "Alright, sleepyhead, time to rise and shi--Sango?" There was no one under the covers. "Sango?" He heard a clink down the hall. _She must be on her way to Inuyasha's bedroom..._ He mused, shaking his head. "Ah well, I'll let her explore a litt- shit!"  
  
He took off at a run. "SANGO!" He saw her hair disappear behind the corner, and then the telltale sign that she'd entered the farthest sleeping quarters.

Miroku turned the corner, almost tripping due to his hurry, and saw Sango right outside the King's door. He grabbed her shoulder, whirling her around. "_What_ do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I think I'm going in here." She gestured at the door flippantly. "Why?"

"Oh no you're not." Miroku argued, "You're coming to the dining hall with me."

"Why all the secrets? You revealed your whole code to me last night." Sango reached for the curtain. He knocked her hand away. "Hey!"

"Look, you can go anywhere. Just. Not. In. There." He looked her in the eye, "Inuyasha can sense when someone's been in his room without his permission. Trust me, he doesn't have to see your face to track you down."

"This is Inuyasha's room?"

Uh oh.

"Well, actually, it's just his bed in there." Miroku lied casually, "Nothing really important about it. Doesn't mean he can't be territorial."  
  
Sango gave him a skeptic look. "Just his bed?"  
  
"Just his bed."

"So there's nothing else in there?"

"Not a thing."

She released the cloth she'd been gripping with a sigh. "Save for the dining hall, this place is dull."

Miroku laughed, mostly out of relief. "Except for sleep, the dining hall is used for everything." He informed. "In our line of work you really don't need anything else. You can go anywhere."

"Your 'line of work'?" Sango scoffed. "It's not a job, Jidai." She admonished. "Have you never realized how many people suffer because of what you do?"

Yes, he had. But, after all the years of having been called a street rat, he'd blocked out other people's problems. Except for a select few. Inuyasha had been his friend since they were children, and they had never had a serious fight over anything. The ones who had called him names as a boy were the same ones that cried over their lost belongings.

"Are you even listening to me?"  
  
Miroku snapped back into reality. "I realized it a long time ago. It was around the same time that I realized that no one cared if I lived or died, except here."

"That couldn't be true! What about your parents?"  
  
"My mother died when I was born, and my father died when I was six. Something wrong with his hand that spread." He shrugged, "I barely knew either of them."

Sango gulped; how could he make the death of his parents sound so..._mundane?_

"Anyway," Sango had to do a double take at the cheerful tone in his voice. "Let's go on into the dining hall and scrounge something up for breakfast. Maybe they missed something."

Hesitantly, Sango nodded. "Remember, if they're not back in another hour or so I'm gone." She trotted into the hall after him.

He flashed her another perfect smile and made himself at home at the table. "So. Palace life, huh?"

Sango seated herself; "I'm not royalty, if that's what you're asking." She played with a stray tuman. "Besides, you wouldn't like it."

"Oh, I know what you mean. A thief whose main goal is riches would hate to live in a palace made of gold..." Miroku winked and Sango could feel something chipping away inside of her.

Instead of looking as shocked as she felt, she gave him a dry look. "You really like sarcasm, don't you?"  
  
"Love it."

She sighed. "You'd be royalty, a warrior, or a servant. Simple as that." Looking up at the large opening in the dune/cave's ceiling she shed the bored look for one of pity. "Did you know that the Princess has never walked on sand? Except for the balconies she has never. Been. Outside. She is that sheltered. She's already betrothed to some naïve noble that she can barely even stand anymore. Can you imagine?" She shook her head.

"The Sultana is always having to sort out something, or coming to another village's aid." Sango shot Miroku a look. "We have to leave Shikon constantly to chase you off, and still you get away safely. And I have the pleasure of ordering them all around. It took forever to gain their respect, and now I'm always worried about when I order them to do the wrong thing. I could fully lose them."

"I thought you didn't trust me."

"Who would you tell?" Sango countered. "After today, we'll probably never speak again."

Miroku rested his head on his fist. "I suppose so."

.-..-.

Kagome stewed silently in her room, legs tucked tightly under her pink-clad form. A veil covered her face, only allowing her stormy orbs to peek from behind it. A gold bracelet wrapped around her upper arm, snaking down to a ring on her finger.

Life was never fair.

Twists were expected in life, events that made people ask 'why me?' over and over again. But, there was unfair, and there was unfair. Living a life of hardship was one thing, living a life that wasn't your own was another. Hojo had indeed spoken with her mother, and the Sultana was expected at any moment. Most likely for a lecture that would last until the sun went down that night.

Could there be a reason for a Princess's life to be decided for her? Was the world beyond the palace walls so dangerous that she needed to be kept away at all costs? Was there a reason that every decision that made any difference in her life was never chosen by her own conscience?

"It doesn't make sense to me." She muttered, running her fingers across her silken sheets. Sure, palace life was something that people dreamed of, and it did have its perks...but the most essential things were missing. Without those, it all seemed..._hollow._

There they were.

The almost inaudible footsteps making their way down the hall. Any moment now her mother would make her presence known.

Kagome wiped at the dried tears on the backs of her hands.

Red curtains brushed to the side as the Sultana entered the room. "I have spoken with your suitor." She walked further into the room until she stood in front of her daughter. "I wished to hear your side."

Kagome's eyes darted up to her mother's face. She wanted to hear her feelings? Tears came unbidden to her already clouded eyes. "This isn't right, mama." It felt awkward to say 'mama' after so many years, but it slipped out. The room grew silent, Kagome's heart pounding rapidly in her chest the only sound.

The Sultana's eyes softened, "Kagome?"  
  
"I've known him all my life, mama, and I don't love him that way. I want to marry for love, not because I'm told to."

Her mother sighed and sat down beside her, placing a hand over her daughter's. She was a strong woman, but even the Sultana's façade was waning. "I...understand, Kagome." At her daughter's slightly shocked face, she smiled. "You and I don't communicate on personal issues that often- I'm not surprised by that face. Suitors can be intimidating, just the name 'suitor' alone can give the strongest woman butterflies in her stomach."

Kagome looked out the window, "I'm not marrying him."

"Oh, Kagome..."

The Princess jumped up, ignoring the usual formalities. "I'm your daughter! My instincts are telling me it isn't right and I believe in them, why can't you? Honestly, don't you think you raised me to make good decisions? Why is this so different?"

"Because you're young, Kagome. You don't know what love is yet... what if you made a mistake? What would I be able to do about it?"

Kagome's temper flared, "Did _you_ know what love was? Is that why your suitor sells food down in the markets and my own father is dead?"

"Kagome!" Kagome's mother shook her hands sternly, "We don't mention the dead!"

"Well I am! Sango died trying to protect me, and the reason she died was because the Jidai King wanted his horse back! They came for a raid so he could steal back his horse. Hojo gave me that horse, mother, and it was never really mine!"

Her mother's eyes widened in confusion, "What?"

"I was down in the stables, they were empty, so I figured it would be safe there. 'Desert Flower' was neighing, so I tried calming her down. That's when he came in, claiming the horse was his." It was easier to tell this now that adrenaline was coursing their her. She wasn't afraid of what her mother would say anymore. She didn't have a say in her life anyway.

"I checked the bridles. They had his name, as well as Wind Scar's."

"He dared come so close to you?!" Her mother's controlled emotions were unleashed.

"Inuyasha didn't hurt me." Kagome stated calmly. "He took his horse and left." There was a fine line between angry ranting and all-out stupidity. Kagome knew where that line was. It would have been complete idiocy to tell her mother he had chased her into her bedroom. Not to mention attacked her for the jewel.

That was a secret between her and him that she planned on keeping.

"Hojo knew, mother." she continued, gripping the window sill. "He seemed flustered when I asked him, and it wasn't because he thought I could have gotten hurt. He was a nice boy, but he's changed."

Her mother sighed, running a stressed hand through her short black locks. "Kagome..." She stopped for a moment, her brow furrowing in thought, "I will sleep on it. Know that my decision will be in your best interest." With that, her mother left the room, the only fleeting proof that she was ever there the midnight blue train of her dress sashaying behind her.

.-..-.

Kagura secured the sash around her waist and grabbed up her tambourine. "I can't believe him! Those jackasses know they are not welcome here! Especially Naraku, he wasn't born from our mother. Oh no. He crawled up from the slime and got a human form! 'Your heart is in our hands...' Pah!" She threw her hands up in the air angrily.

The man on the other side of her tent sat with the same passive face. "Why do you let him control you?"

"He's my brother! He can try and control me whether I like him or not!" Kagura shot Sesshoumaru a glare. "Why are you so calm about this anyway? What about you, can't _you_ get rid of him for me?"

"I will kill him under other terms, which will solve much more than your troubles." He watched the scowl on her face deepen. "No matter how important they are, there are other things that he is plotting that can undo him." Sesshoumaru stood up, ignoring the woman's icy glare. "You have a performance to attend."

Kagura crossed her arms, partially hiding her gypsy marking. "I do not appreciate all this nonchalance, Sesshoumaru."

"Not many do." He frowned himself as she stopped only inches from his face, "You agitate me."

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment, noting their closeness, before turning to leave. "Know that I will kill Naraku... you don't need to worry anymore. You will be free soon enough."

Kagura faltered, her defenses failing a moment. "W-well I better be, you damn confusing man!"

"I accept your thanks," his voice had the slightest air of amusement she'd ever seen.

"You--" He was gone. Kagura sighed, running her hand down her face- careful not to smudge her face. "One question still remains, Sesshoumaru. Why do you seem to care about my heart, anyway?"

.-..-.

Inuyasha watched from a distance as the other men celebrated their new supply of food with the gypsies. He'd never truly felt at home anywhere, even Ano Horaana. This place was no different.

At the moment, his thoughts were on Shikon. Wind Scar was back with him, happily drinking from a trough of water. But the Jewel... it was the reason why his sights had been on the city for so long. He'd always wondered if he would ever meet the woman who guarded the Jewel. Now he wished he hadn't.

She was the most infuriating woman he had ever met--and he'd met plenty. There was something about her that made him want to see her again, though. Maybe it was the fact that she seemed to put up a fight without fear of being killed, unlike the other Jidai. It had given him time to vent pent up frustration he'd had for months. Then again, she also brought half the stress back. Or, it could have been that she was a skilled fighter and gave him a run for his money...

He liked to think it was because she carried the Jewel.

It was the most logical--and the most predictable--answer. The only possibility that actually sounded like something he would do.

King of the Sengoku Jidai never felt weakness from a woman...

But she carried his one weakness with her, which made the game a whole lot more complicated. The Princess of Shikon held all the power he ever needed in her hand, and he was afraid at the feeling in his gut... the idea floating around in his head.

She had the Jewel, and he would do anything to get it.


	8. Oh the Tangled Webs We Weave

****

Thief of Hearts

__

Sakura's Note: Happy Thanksgiving! I wanted to save this chapter for some special occasion, because of its length, and wasn't letting me post all week long, so this is coming out a little late. ::sigh:: But, I hope everyone will forgive me because of this chapter's length.

Anyway, thank you to everyone who's been reviewing and for not harassing me about the lack of updates. I really wish I had more time to write, but for some reason, time isn't on my side right now. I'm working on it, though. I've taken advantage of this four day weekend to work on all three of my stories.

On another note, how was everyone's holiday? If anything crazy happened with you (like it did with me) then feel free to include it in your review. I love reading stuff like that.

Enjoy and R&R!

.-..-.

__

Chapter 8: Oh... The Tangled Webs We Weave

.-..-.

The storyteller, Urasue, cleared her throat and continued.

Inuyasha continued to look interested in the gypsy lore being recited to him and the other Jidai, but his ears were elsewhere. Off to his right Kagura, and the other two of the _Trio_, were readying themselves for their performance. Beyond them, however, was a group of Jidai, looking around for the village women and a pleasurable afternoon. Among them, were two very distanced characters.

It was no surprise to him, however, that they were with the more vulgar of the thieves. Naraku and Onigumo stood, looking for the most part casual. Other than the fact that they were standing a few feet away from the other men, it wouldn't have looked like they were conspiring something.

"...and the Princess watched as he rode off into the sunset, the sands whipping at his horse's hooves..."

Inuyasha scoffed. The old woman had to remind him of _her_, didn't she? Truth was, the annoying girl had only just flitted _out_ of his mind a second ago. But, that had been progress. Every time he thought of her, he also thought of the jewel. She was the Jewel's protector... And she had a power... A weird one at that.

He hadn't ever believed in magic or mythical powers until he had met Kikyo. Yet the power of purification still fascinated him. When she had shot the arrows, it had somehow made the darkest of his thoughts change.

Something he didn't appreciate in the slightest.

Neither would he ever admit to anyone that for a split second flowers and angels had invaded his thoughts.

__

"Is the power in the arrows or the girl?" Inuyasha's eyebrows knitted together in thought. If the arrows were the problem, then it would be easy to render her helpless. But, if it resided inside of her...it posed a threat.

A great threat.

"...ever see him again...and she did. He came to her, erasing all first impressions..."

Inuyasha pushed his concerns about the two brothers out of his head for a moment, focusing his energy on obtaining the ultimate treasure.

The Shikon Jewel.

"...and they fell in love."

.-..-.

"No, you can't -- this isn't fair!" Miroku grabbed at her arm.

"Don't say 'can't', it's a discouraging word." The Shikonian stopped at Miroku's bedroom door, poking her head in. Then, upset that her belongings weren't there either, headed back to the main room.

"But, Sango!" Miroku jumped ahead of her, placing a hand on the wall, the other on her shoulder. Her eyes became narrow slits, but he was used to ignoring her blatant expectations for personal space. "How long have we known each other?"

He received a spirited glare, "A day."

Ah...so she was a literal type of girl.

"We've known each other longer than that, and you know it." Miroku looked into her eyes for a moment. "We've been running circles around each other for years. We just never... Introduced ourselves before."

He didn't seem like the type of guy that would hang around with a group of bandits... It angered her, deep down, that he did. Either way though, "That's a complete load of bull, Jidai."

With a practiced ease, Miroku pinned her to the wall, blocking her escapes with his arms. The only problem now was he was giving her full access to the most sensitive parts of his anatomy, and she was the type of girl to take advantage of that. "You can't deny it. Think back... How many times have you seen me before? How many times have we fought in the same battles, the same place, for the same things?"

"That doesn't matter." Sango crossed her arms and looked off to the side. "If what you are saying is true, then I could harbor feelings for any of the Jidai, seeing how I must have seen them hundreds of times before. Isn't that right?" Due to his lack of response, she looked up at him curiously. The look on his face caught her off guard.

He looked...._playful._

"What is so funny?"

"I never said anything about you having to harbor feelings for me, Warrior Princess." The twinkle in his eye was almost blinding by now. "I was merely stating that we had known each other for a long time. That the least you could do would be to help me out..."

Sango cursed. She'd let something she didn't even know existed slip, and to the one man she couldn't stand, no less. She felt a blush rising to her cheeks, and quickly ducked her head. "Don't read so deep into my words that you find something that's not there, Jidai." Without waiting for his response, Sango moved his arm out of her way forcefully and headed into the great hall, ignoring his gasp.

With or without her belongings, she was leaving.

Her father had raised her to be self sufficient, and to always do what felt right in her heart. _If father saw me now he would kill me..._ She had allowed herself to be captured by a Jidai, something disgraceful in itself... Then, not only had she started a conversation with him, but also she had fallen asleep in his arms _and_ helped him. Her mind kept asking why, but the answer was too hard to grasp. Sango stopped at the exit, staring out at the beautiful dunes sweeping across the land. It was beautiful; untainted.

The Jidai would be coming after her in a moment, as soon as the pain in his arm died off. She looked back behind her, into the Grand Hall.

They were even now. She could have killed him, but instead saved his life. He had done the same for her. No one had to know of this little deal, she had a feeling he felt the same.

"It won't be that far back to Shikon..."

Sango started, turning to face the familiar voice.

"A day or two, at the most." He shrugged. Sango didn't miss the slight wince he gave when his arm moved. "Follow the sun set, not the sun rise." He handed her a burlap sack, filled with Shikonian Warrior necessities, and stepped back.

Numbly, she nodded.

.-..-.

Two lavender orbs watched the able-bodied woman disappear, blending with the sand until all evidence she had ever been there faded from the wind. He could still sense her presence, lingering throughout the great hall.

After exiting Ano Horaana, she had crossed through the never-changing dunes. After a while she'd pass through the Harpies domain, and--

Faster than the blink of an eye, Ano Horaana was once again empty and one horse short.

.-..-.

"He confuses me." Sango muttered to the wind. "Nothing he does...none of it! None of it makes sense." She stomped angrily through the desert, refusing to look back. If she did, then she might just find herself lost and even more confused.

Not like that would be anything new...

__

Follow the sunset, not the sunrise...

That had been the oddest request of everything the Jidai had said. Was it that simple to find her way home? Of course, she was missing her most prized and irreplaceable possession...but that was a small price to pay if she could get back to Shikon and away from such a confusing man.

"Wait..." She stopped trudging through the thick sand, a slow and devious smile forming on her lips. "It IS that simple...Follow the sun set home...follow the sun _rise_ to..." Her eyes widened in realization.

She could stop the Sengoku Jidai and their reign of sin as soon as she reached Shikon. One word and the entire Royal Guard would be riding towards the most notorious lair of the Thieves. With her knowledge...the King of Thieves would be behind bars, along with all of his followers.

By the time she realized the strange emotion she felt was guilt, it was too late to stop the hand that covered her mouth and the hit to her head.

.-..-.

"How could I be so stupid?"

Kazaana didn't answer. Instead, the horse sped up, kicking sand up violently behind him.

"She is on foot. She is a beautiful woman. She doesn't have her main weapon...You're a fool, Miroku, a damnable fool." he shook his head. "How far could she have gotten?"

Something caught the light in the fading afternoon sun. Miroku winced, moving his hand to cover his face. "I hate when that happens. Some wandering salesman just goes around littering the desert..." He stopped, pulling back on Kazaana's reigns. "Or a wandering, fiery Warrior Princess...ho, ho, steady, Kazaana..."

Miroku slid off his horse, patting its side, and he lead it toward the partially-hidden object.

It was worth a try, at least...

He lost it a few times because of the blowing sand, but by moving around slightly to catch the sunlight, he soon stood right in front of it.

Kneeling down, Miroku brushed the sand away...and his heart stopped.

A feather.

Dipped in blood.

The Harpies' trademark.

Sango's blade looked undamaged, and if the feather had not been there, it would look as though she had just dropped something. But the feather that was so close by made something harden in the pit of his stomach.

Miroku grabbed Kazaana's reigns and stood. "I'll get her back to safety."

.-..-.

Musty air clogged her lungs, rotten water seeped into her hair and skin, and what was most likely a rat scurried across her bound feet. She tried to cough, but it only stirred up sand that scratched her throat and tickled her face.

Something cackled. "I think she's come to."

She jerked, her mind registering that her hands and feet were bound with thick, coarse rope.

"Oh really...wonderful...wonderful..." a deeper voice than the first.

Water was dropping from somewhere above her, dribbling down the side of her face, down her neck, and finally disappearing down her front.

Sango cracked open an eye enough to briefly take in her surroundings. The hot desert sand was gone, replaced by cold, damp darkness. Her clothes felt much looser on her than they should have, which made her mind go insane with questions. _Where am I? Who's talking and what are they going to do with me?_

"She's a woman, alright..." an excited voice. Then someone clapped. "You can tell _easily_ with them clothes we got 'er in."

The Warrior anxiously looked down as far as she could, seeing flimsy, gauzy material covering her chest and waist...barely. Sango looked up and closed her eyes. _What went wrong? I followed the Jidai's instruc-- He knew. That bastardly Jidai _knew_ I'd get captured!_

She felt betrayed and foolish. _I believed him...I thought he was telling me the truth._

"Bring her out so I can look at her."

Somewhere to her left a door opened, and a faint light spread through the room. Two hulking figures loomed over her for a moment before bending down to hold her arms. "We're comin', boss."

"Get OFF me!" Sango swung her tied hands backward into one man's gut. She fell roughly to the floor, but ignored it. "Why am I here?" She whirled her head around to look at the door. "Answer me!"

"You are a fiery one...hard to find one like you." A tall, burlesque man made his way into the room, followed by another.

Sango growled, sending the two men frosty glares. "Release me."

"You were trespassing. Had you been a man, you'd be dead right now. But, seeing how you're in a bind...maybe we could work something out..." The men gave deep throated laughter at the largest man's insinuations.

They laughed harder when Sango spit on him. "You wish."

Behind her back, her fingers worked frantically on the rough ropes. Whether her fingers were dripping sweat or blood, she did not know. All that she cared about was escaping and returning to Shikon and getting away from the betrayal she could feel building up in her stomach.

.-..-.

Inuyasha leaned back, eyes glimmering like gold from the fire's intensity. His best friend's well being was plaguing his thoughts, making him wonder if he should be out looking for him. Miroku had gone missing before, but then turned up a day or two later. No one knew where he went, and he never told anyone he was leaving.

He just did it.

In some ways, Miroku was more mysterious than Inuyasha himself.

So, in cases such as this, Inuyasha was torn. The festivities were inviting, and none of his men asked him much of anything when they were at the gypsy camps. It was a good place to think. A good place to plan his strategy for obtaining the Jewel.

But, Miroku and him were closer to being brothers than he was with Sesshoumaru. He was the only other member in the whole Sengoku Jidai with enough of a human soul in him to make good conversation and not that of violence and women.

Well, a good conversation without violence.

Out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha spotted Sesshoumaru enter the fire-lit area of the camp. He didn't acknowledge his brother at all, and his brother did not acknowledge his King. It had been a long running tradition of theirs to, for the most part, pretend the other wasn't even there.

While in the gypsy camp, however, Inuyasha sometimes entertained himself by watching his brother. Sesshoumaru and romance in the same sentence just seemed very comical to him, and when you added the word 'gypsy' to that sentence as well...

Let's just say that Inuyasha found himself in the middle of a good show.

Sesshoumaru settled for standing a little ways away from the campfire. His eyes were narrowed, as always, into an unapproachable glare.

"As the sun sets, the spirits rejoice in dance..." Urasue, the storyteller, clapped her hands once, twice, three times. The sand picked up, and the sounds of gypsy instruments filled the air. It started slowly, and then increased in energy. Two voices filled the air, singing an unfamiliar song.

One of the men played his violin from the corner expertly.

__

"Come with me in the twilight of a summer night for awhile

Tell me of a story never ever told in the past."

Kagura, dressed in a myriad of colors, shook her tambourine against her hip as she sang next to the second member of the Trio.

"Take me back to the land

Where my yearnings were born

The key to open the door is in your hand

Now fly me there."

Yura, the shorthaired woman next to her, joined in. She plucked at the fine hairs of her instrument, emitting a new type of rhythm to the song.

The two gypsy dancers continued to play their instruments as the third member danced around the fire hauntingly, dressed in white.

Kagura continued to shake her tambourine and began to dance around the fire with more fluid movements than her younger sister. A moment later, Yura followed.

As she neared the tall, stoic, Jidai, Kagura allowed a sultry smile to grace her features. The three dancers stopped as the next verses approached. Yura stood in front of Hiten, Kanna frozen in place by the fire, and Kagura in front of the most beautiful and infuriating man she knew.

They sang.

"Fanatics find their heaven in never ending storming wind

Auguries of destruction be a lullaby for rebirth.

Consolations, be there

In my dreamland to come

The key to open the door is in your hand

Now take me there."

The way Kagura whispered those four words made something in him freeze. His calm exterior showed no signs of it, but the feeling it gave worried him. Sesshoumaru covered any confusion his face revealed with a mask of annoyance. Kagura seemed to notice, her eyes dimming.

She swayed to the side, resuming the dance with Kanna and Yura.

__

Damn him... Kagura hit her hip with the tambourine a little harder than she had wanted, causing her to wince. _He doesn't even care...surely Naraku saw that, as well... _She darted her ruby eyes across the fire, chancing a look over where her two brothers stood. Sure enough, both carried scowls; Naraku caught her eyes.

Kagura lost her footing, tripping out of rhythm with the others. Silently cursing, she resumed her dance. She gave Yura a thankful smile when her friend deliberately tripped the same way she had, trying to work the motion into the dance. Luckily not everyone was against her.

"I believe in fantasies invisible to me

In the land of misery I'm searching for the sign

To the door of mystery and dignity

I'm wandering down, and searching down the secret sun."

As the Trio raised their heads to the sky, Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder. Naraku was nowhere in sight. _I'm being too paranoid..._ He shook his head of silver locks and looked back over the fire at the dancers.

__

"Come with me in the twilight of a summer night for awhile

Tell me of a story never ever told in the past."

Kagura's fluid motions were becoming jerky, and her eyes seemed to be following the same path his had a few moments ago. She was looking for Naraku just like he'd done. Inuyasha searched out his brother, seeing him closer to the dancing than before, with his eyes lazily looking around the crowds.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one concerned with Naraku's disappearance.

__

"Take me back to the land

Where my yearnings were born

The key to open the door is in your hand

Now take me there

to the land of twilight."

As the music picked up pace and energy, Onigumo fidgeted with the bandages wrapped around his arm. Tonight, since the flames were the only light, the bandit had removed most of the unnecessary wrappings. Inuyasha never could figure out why he had the weird habit, and wasn't about to bother asking. In his opinion, both Onigumo and Naraku could drop dead here and now.

And that's just what Onigumo did.

.-..-.

Seventeen candles were placed on the table. Their aromas filled the room in gray streaks of smoke.

A silver basin sat in the center, empty.

Each of the women held a small onyx cup, carved for purposes such as these. Inside each were ten drops of water.

Eyes were brimmed with tears that would not fall.

The sun had disappeared beneath the horizon a while before, leaving the room shrouded in only the light of stars.

The North Star shined brightly, directly above the crowd.

Shikon was silent in silent respect.

Kagome stood by her mother, clothed in black. _Sango...I'm so sorry it had to be this way. You shouldn't have had to sacrifice yourself for the city. Why did you have to die? Why did you have to be the hero?_

The Sultana placed a strong hand on her daughter's shoulder before stepping forward in front of the altar. "Sango; daughter to my departed sister and brother, was a brave Warrior and brought our family great pride. She followed in my footsteps to become the first female leader in her position. Her spirit was strong, and she died a heroine for our city. One must question what Shikon would have been like without her in the time we had her." She paused, looking back at her daughter, "One must question what the future will bring without her."

Silently, the Sultana poured her cup into the basin and backed away from the altar.

Kagome stood there, without feeling in her legs, for a long moment. It was only when her mother whispered her name that she urged herself forward.

Unlike her mother, she would speak her words silently, pour her cup's contents into the basin, and finally return to her mother's side.

__

Sango, you taught me everything I know about the outside world... You lived life for the both of us, and I thank you. You weren't my cousin, you are my sister. Without you, Shikon will be a much dimmer place. I love you, sister, be happy in the afterlife.

Instead of standing by her mother, Kagome emptied her cup, and left the room.

.-..-.

A quick credit for Kajiura Yuki, the singer of _Key of the Twilight _which is the song used in this chapter. Since the lyrics seemed to fit the story, you will hear it again, but not in it's entirety. If you've heard it before, it's because this is a song for .hacksign.

Also, to avoid any confusion; When Kagome's mother said Sango was the daughter of her sister and brother, she meant her blood sister and brother-in-law. Back then, I don't believe they used the title of 'brother-in-law', so I figure the Sultana would just refer to him as her brother. It wasn't a sibling marriage.


	9. What?

Thief of Hearts

_Sakura's Note: _This is the longest I've ever been away from and I apologize for my hiatus. I don't enjoy excuses, but I feel everyone deserves to know why the Wish I Were You Christmas one shot has still not been posted and this chapter of Thief of Hearts is just now being uploaded.

This year hasn't been the best it could have been. First of all, my father left for Peru right after Christmas for a hernia operation (it's way cheaper even with the ticket over there) and two of my uncles are incredibly sick (diabetes and massive stroke). As well as that, one of my best friends was hit by a car and I was there to witness it, as was my other best friend. She sustained only some bruised muscles and a scraped back, but it wasn't something to be taken lightly at all. I actually was hit too, but only in the leg. In addition to the recent crisis load, semester exams are here and I've been studying like crazy for the past few weeks.

Hopefully I'm back for a good long while and updates will become more frequent after my exams and big 2nd semester tests are over. (Sometimes I hate high school)

A quick story-oriented note: I realize everyone wants Inuyasha and Kagome to meet again, but please be patient. They will...soon.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and has been having an awesome new year.

Enjoy!

.-..-.

Chapter 9: What?

.-..-.

She could smell it long before it reached her eyes. It smelled metallic, it's glistened in the moonlight, it pulsated, and it made a squishing sound when the man dropped it in front of her.

"Eat up or die, wench."

He retreated back into the darkness and chains were rattled. Once again, she was trapped in the darkness with no way to escape.

Looking down at the 'food' she'd been given, Sango realized what exactly it was.

Although it looked like it'd just been ripped from the chest of some poor animal, there was no way she could believe it was still alive. The blood had splattered all over her when it'd been thrown in front of her, and it's weak pulse made a sickening sound.

A heart.

Without meaning too, bile rose up in her throat and overflowed. With a gag, the last real food she'd eaten covered the floor.

There was no way she was going to eat something's heart, raw or cooked.

Her prison was silent, dark, wet from an unknown water source, and held a stench of something rancid. But despite all of it, the one thing her mind kept returning to, was how betrayed she felt. The Jidai was probably sitting back in his cave full of gold laughing at her, thinking how easy it was to fool her.

Sango spit out the acidy taste in her mouth and moved her head to where her chained hand rested. "Curse him...he _knew_ it was a trap! And I fell right into it like a fool..." Immediately she placed the blame on herself. She'd been torn on who to blame since she'd woken up.

Now she was alone, and sure her days were numbered. Surely a bandit would come in soon and rip her heart out just as her food's owner had been done in? That was common sense, right?

She glumly looked down at her 'dinner' with a newfound understanding.

In less than a few days she'd be dead, just like the people of Shikon probably assumed she was.

Yet the Jidai named Miroku would still be out there terrorizing her people, just like he had every other village in sight.

How far away was she from a village, anyway? A few miles, a few moments?

There was a crack in the top of her cell. It only brought a speck of light in, not even enough to brighten up a mouse hole, but Sango could tell it was night by the darkened sky and sliver of the moon she could see when she closed her right eye.

"I can't believe I thought he was decent...Once a Jidai, always a Jidai..." She shuffled away from the heart, which had finally lost all signs of life. Her hands were tied behind her back, and one of her legs carried an awkward shaped object that, although light, would be extremely hard to run away with.

"I can't believe...that I..._didn't _hate him."

.-..-.

The dark-haired man cackled. "So what should we do with her first?" He looked around the card table for volunteers. Immediately his eyes fell to a cloaked accomplice in the corner. "Ay, what do you think about burning those pretty feet of hers in some hot oil? She'd make a nice, cooked, main course, wouldn't she?"

All the men laughed at his suggestion.

"We'll peel the skin off her hands and have it as a side dish!"

"Beautiful women are so..._tasty_."

"Where'd we leave the salt?"

After downing a rather large and frothy drink, the hulky man slid off the rotting chair and turned towards the cloaked figure. "Coming?" Happy with the guys nod, the large Harpy member trudged off to the holding cells. "The damn woman was wondering around out there, just waiting for someone to pick her up. She was coming from those damn Jidai's direction...must have been one of their girls, eh?"

It was too dark to see anything as the two went deeper into the caves, and the loud roars of the Harpies in the main cave could be heard. It was a quick and accurate blow to the head that caused the large - and intoxicated - Harpy guard to hit the ground with a thud and a low groan.

Reaching around the man's belt for the keys, the hooded figure jerked the black cloth down from his face. The smell the dead man carried turned Miroku's stomach as well as twisting it into countless knots.

"In a place with so much water, you'd think they could spare the time for a bath..."

The tunnel forked into three paths. Smells Miroku was certain he didn't want to find the owner of wafted from all three directions. A melodic tune was faintly on the air, and he chose to follow it. No one would come to find them for a while, there was time to guess.

"_Somewhere in the world..._"

It sounded like a woman, trapped deep down inside the pits of their lair. Whether or not it was Sango, they would hopefully be helpful.

"_Somewhere in the dark..._"

The song was accompanied by a quiet clinking of metal. It sounded so close...

"_I can hear the voice that calls my name, might be a memory, might be my future._"

The words bounced off the walls. She sounded like she was coming from everywhere at once.

"Sango?"

"..._Might be a love waiting for me." _Clink. "_Rock me gently, hug me tenderly..._" Something against the cave walls. "_'Til the morning breaks and night fades away._"

At the moment it sounded like the singing was coming from behind him...now in front...now to the left.

"_I've spent my time in vain, trapped inside pain._" Grating.

Miroku paused to listen. "What's she doing in there?" Up ahead it looked like the darkness ended, and a hairline slit was in the cave wall, giving off barely any light. He couldn't see anything, but the song wasn't metallic anymore, it was real and nearby.

"_Don't let me down, help me see the light..._" Her last words were strained, and then a loud scrape and a cling of metal on metal. "_Feelings bitter and twisted all along."_

With the stealth of a true Jidai, Miroku took a step closer. She had a beautiful voice, even when she was only singing to cover something. Or maybe it was a prayer...a confession...or a biography. He wasn't thinking hard enough to try and figure it out.

He knew time was of the essence, but, _it would be a shame to end that angel's song..._ Pausing, he could make out something only a tinge darker than the rest of the cave move. He was sure it was the Shikonian, even though it was too dark even to make out the whites of her eyes.

"_Wading through an empty life too long._"

Miroku gave a faint smile; one without a single lecherous idea or cruel intent as it's creator. He was far enough away to know she wouldn't sense him if he looked away from her. _Thank you...she's not dead._

"_I close me eyes, listen to the wind. Longing to belong to a higher place...let me hear your voice, let me be with you..." _ The sounds of metal and rock were growing louder, but she didn't raise her voice to hide it. The movement sounded urgent.

Miroku noticed that hairline fracture had opened wider, and he saw a flash of her peach skin before she was shrouded in the shadows again. "_When the shadow falls down upon me. Like a bird singing, like a breeze blowing._"

He felt himself relaxing with her song and shook himself out of it.

"_It's calling me, from somewhere in the-_"

Just as he edged close enough to see inside, an enraged face slammed up against the bars. Furious magenta eyes pierced his with a deadly glare. "Release me!" While his eyes were captured by hers, a hand shot out from the cell and grabbed at his shirt. Then she executed an attack with strength she'd attained from years of training; a punch to her captor's gut.

Miroku flew back, skidding across the floor with a groan. The keys he'd held dropped to the floor, and were raked into the cell by Sango's awaiting hand.

"Sango!" Miroku grasped his stomach, but lurched forward to the bars of the cave. He was close enough to the slit she'd made that he could see a sliver of her face. The eye he could see was wide, and studying his face intently.

"Jidai?"

He couldn't deny the pang he felt at being called such a mundane name instead of his own, but covered it as best he could. "Well who else in here would care enough to know your name?" With a grunt, he rose to his feet and brushed off the dust he couldn't see. The keys jangled and he could hear her hands working frantically with the lock. "Now, Warrior Princess, what brings you here? Surely not the accommodations."

The cell's rusting door swung open and he was standing face to face with a bedraggled young woman. "Why...?" She brought a hand to her face, but jerked it away when she noticed the smell. There were so many questions, yet now was not the time to ask.

"Wait until we're away from here to slap me." Grabbing her hand, he yanked her towards the way he came. "Is there another way they come and go?"

"I don't know." She shook her head, "Can you get these off me?"

Miroku paused, confused. "Are you asking what I think you are, Lady Sango? I mean, I'd be happy to oblige, but here of all places-GAH!"

Sango brought her cuffed hands back down and frowned. "Not my clothes you idiot, these _chains_!"

Rubbing his abused head, Miroku groped around for her hands. "How thick are they?"

"Pretty thin, but they must be steel, because I can't break them but they break the rock." Sango slammed the chains against the wall in emphasis. Sure enough, debris crumbled to the ground.

Miroku's mind raced for an idea. "We're not getting through them peacefully, so until we retrieve your weapons all you have is this." He tugged on the chains and guided her through the tunnels.

.-..-.

They were in an eerie silence that no one could break out of. Had there been no fire, it would have seemed the entire village had dropped dead, not just one Jidai.

Suddenly, the village was ablaze with action. Woman screamed, babies cried, and the Jidai were uprising with confusion.

"Did you see him? He just fell to the ground!"

"Onigumo!"

"Where's Naraku!"

"Who could have done it? We were all 'round the fire!"

Inuyasha roughly shoved his men out of the way until he was standing right above the body. He knelt down calmly, showing no trace of the fear inside him. He jerked off the few bandages he'd worn that night and bent down to his face. Not a wisp of breath escaped him.

"He's dead."

Even though everyone had already known, the panic rose in volume until Inuyasha could barely hear himself think.

Kagura broke through the circle of Jidai with wide ruby eyes. She was kneeling beside Inuyasha before anyone could stop her. "How?"

Onigumo's lifeless eyes stared up at the crowd, already dried from the heat of the flames. It gave many of them chills that spread from their arms to their head and then back down towards their toes. How could one of them just...die?

Out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha spotted his half-brother staring at the body with as much as emotion as he'd show a puddle of water. If anyone was behind the death of Onigumo, Inuyasha was sure he'd have blamed either himself or Sesshoumaru. But, from the looks of it, they were both innocent.

"Poison?"

Inuyasha got up with a deep breath, tapping his neck with a fist to get the kinks out. "Mukotsu..."

The stumpy man eased forward with frantic eyes. The scar he'd received glowed in the firelight as he stepped closer to the corpse. "Yes?"

"You like to play with poisons in your spare time...is this the work of one?" Inuyasha jerked his head in Onigumo's direction and watched Mukotsu's expression.

He looked guiltily at the deceased thief and then to his leader, "I can't tell."

Inuyasha growled, making Kagura look over at him with concern. "Can't tell? You barely even looked at him!" When he took a step forward, Mukotsu backed up into the other members. Glaring at no one in particular, Inuyasha jerked away from the other men's presences. As he did so, he noticed the raised eyebrows of his half-brother and the curious glances being thrown his way.

Just like always, he'd lost his cool.

I don't even care about the guy.

He reached for the hilt of his sword and relaxed. A fight would do him some good right about now...

Whomever had killed Onigumo obviously held a grudge towards him, and knew of poisons. There was no way they could have stabbed him so that there was no visible mark, and no way that a man that's most serious injury was years ago when he was scorched in a village fire.

Until he could figure out who, or someone who had seen the whole thing came forward, they weren't going anywhere. His men who even had the slightest respect for Onigumo would refuse to leave and without them, what was the point of going home?

"We're staying the night. Find a place to stay." Not bothering to see who all heard him, Inuyasha disappeared.

.-..-.

The gravel crunched under his feet. A short while longer and none of the other Jidai would be able to bother him.

"Sesshoumaru."

He turned impassively and narrowed his eyes.

"I know it's late, but I wanted to thank you." Kagura lowered her head and walked forward. "_Really _thank you..."

"I'm not interested in anything you have to offer me." He stood still however, when her hand raised to caress his cheek. Nevertheless, he was surprised when the 'caress' transformed into a cheek-reddening slap.

"Exactly why I won't ask any more of you." Her eyes flooded over with angry tears. "I will take care of Naraku alone. After all, he is my brother, and although he thinks he controls me, there are gaps in his rule over my life." She slapped his other cheek for good measure before turning to stalk off.

"I will kill Naraku." It was meant to be a phrase to calm her nerves, she'd known him long enough to realize what he was trying to do.

Kagura stayed frozen and refused to look at him. "Yeah, you keep saying that; you'll kill him to solve more than my petty problems..." She trailed off at the unique look in his eye. "What..."

"Am I truly that repetitive?" He looked, in his own way, concerned with that concept. A crease became visible between his eyebrows as he took a step towards her. After a moment the first human emotion she'd sensed in him dissipated. "Naraku will be killed."

When she noticed his departure, Kagura voiced a futile offer. "I have extra room in my tent if there is no other space available."

If Onigumo's death was on Naraku's hands, there was no doubt who was next on his list. He knew where her tent was and would kill her while she sleep easily. Despite her decent fighting skills, she was no Jidai. Unlike her brother, she had not danced circles around the best-trained guards of Shikon, and if he came for her that was exactly the kind of training she would need to escape. _Sesshoumaru can protect me...I have no problem putting my life in his hands. _

Sesshoumaru paused a moment, but nodded and walked off. He was a man of few words, and his actions spoke much louder. He would be there, although it might require a little fighting to get him inside.

A small smile appeared on her tired face. She'd left him with proportioned red marks on his cheeks.

The most surprising thing was he hadn't even given her a dirty look because of it. He'd given her a small window in which to attack him, while no one was around to see, and force out some of the anger she'd been carrying.

Kagura sighed, she needed water before she could go the bed.

.-..-.

Miroku executed his final trick by rolling off the Harpy member's back, grabbing a table, and knocking out his last four opponents. That only left about one, which he knew Sango could take care of herself. Instead of going to assist her, he bent down to check the status of one of the bigger Harpies.

The man had a tattoo covering the greater part of his back, the Harpy symbol etched into his skin to signify his loyalty to their band of thieves. He must have been a leader; the symbol reached the nape of his neck and the eye of the mythical bird was bright red.

He heard an angry cry and a table collapsing under great pressure. Sango had taken care of the last man.

Getting up, the Jidai realized a trail of blood from his arm down the side of his shirt. With a low curse, he turned to Sango. "Are you alright?"

She wiped the sweat from brow and nodded tiredly. "He didn't put up much of a fight."

Miroku turned away, "That's-" His head whipped back around to take in something he had not noticed before.

Sango gave him a curious glance, "What?"

"Sango…you truly are a Princess…"

"Jidai, what are you talking about? I'm not-" That's when she felt it: the cold draft she'd ignored up until now. Looking down, she took a deep, calming breath. "JIIIIIIIDAIIIIIII!"

It hadn't worked.

He held his hands up in defense, as well as to block out her flattering figure and sparse clothing. He did respect her…but he had to appreciate the opportunity as well. "Sango…I'm sorry-please-"

He fainted before the table hit him.

.-..-.

Kagura balanced the bucket on her head expertly, watching the surrounding area and quiet tents for any sign of her remaining brother.

It was a cool night, luckily without any sand storms to fight through. The moon was only a small crescent, and as soon as the last of the fires died out, the camp would be doused in darkness.

"The key to open the door is in your hand…now take me there…to the land of twilight…" She hummed in substitute of the fiddlers and pulled the flap of her tent open. Setting down the bucket beside the opening to her tent, Kagura stretched out her stiff muscles and ducked inside. She'd half expected someone to be waiting inside for her, whether it be Sesshoumaru or Naraku, but the tent was silent and dark. It was easy to tell if someone was hiding inside, seeing how nothing in there was large enough to block out a standing or crouching body.

With a sigh of disappointment, Kagura carried the water towards her bed. Yawning, she undressed and grabbed up a sponge. "Take me back to the land, where my yearnings were-" Grabbing up the towel, she covered herself, knocking over the bucket. "Who's there?"

Looking through the tent, she couldn't see any human outlines, but that didn't mean no one was there. She wasn't paranoid.

Poking her head out of the tent opening, she noticed footprints leading off to the left. When she turned, she nearly fell over from anger and embarrassment. "Sesshoumaru…"

His head jerked up suddenly from hearing his name being called, his eyes a little wider than she'd ever seen them. The Jidai remained silent but his mask of impassiveness returned.

"Why didn't you announce yourself, Jidai?" She crossed her arms over her chest (partly to keep the blanket up) and walked towards him. "Well, get in here, it's only going to get colder before daybreak."

Sesshoumaru looked at her, gold meeting ruby, "I found another place to stay for the night."

Kagura felt stupid, why wouldn't he? At least half the women in the village would have offered a place for him, and the men he knew wouldn't think twice… "Ah." Then her temper flared, "Then why did you burst into my tent when I was bathing!"

He only raised an eyebrow, "You were bathing?"

"Do _not_ attempt to play dumb with me! I know it was you, and you will NOT deny it."

Figuring he was staring at her that way to gage her amount of seriousness, Kagura allowed it without comment.

"The flap was already open."

"What are you talking about? No it wasn't. I don't leave my tent wide open when I'm naked!"

Sesshoumaru eyed the tent distrustfully for a moment, "It was open when I came to see you."

Shivers ran from her spine to her fingertips at that statement. She was amazed he had admitted to come specifically to see her, but more importantly, he did not lie. If he did, she had never heard of it. Someone like him had no reason to; anyone unhappy with what he said could die.

"Naraku…he was here. Watching me." She turned away from him in worry. "You must have scared him off."

She fell to the ground with exhaustion and closed her eyes. Rubbing her temples she realized the presence beside her. He wasn't crouching down beside her, but it wasn't because he was too important; it wasn't his style.

"He must be the one who killed Onigumo. He won't stop trying to kill me until I've been cremated." The cloth wrapped around her slid down her shoulder, but she didn't notice. Instead, she stood mechanically and wandered back into her tent.

Naraku would kill her unless she could kill him first. He would not leave her in peace until his death.

Sesshoumaru followed behind her, "It is not safe here."

"Makes sense. Naraku knows where I'll be and will try to kill me." Kagura shrugged, blocking out her active imagination's wild ideas of how he'd kill her. "But I am not going to run, call it bravery or insanity. I don't care, I'm staying."

"It's a foolish choice, but I understand your reasons." Sesshoumaru looked down at his hand and then exited the tent.

Kagura frowned at his shrinking figure before turning back to her bed. Grabbing up her dagger-tipped fan, the gypsy dancer slid into her bed and stared, listlessly, off into space. _I was a fool to believe that a man like Sesshoumaru would worry about me. I'm just another gypsy to him, a worthless, arrogant, gypsy._

Her last thought was the only one she'd been able to keep in her mind all day; her death.

.-..-.

Inuyasha rose up cradling his head in his hands with a splitting headache. His ears throbbed, sending painful courses of heat through his brain and down to his stomach. With careful steps, he made his way towards the tents opening. He would thank the kind gypsy family later.

He was always a light sleeper that woke up hours before everyone else, which meant the sun had a some time before it would peak over the dunes. The sun was already chasing away that nights cold winds, but only the tiniest light in the distance signaled its approach.

All night long he'd dreamt of a faceless woman dressed in white and blue. Although he couldn't see her features, he new she had been staring at him. All night long he'd bee searching for the Jewel, and wherever he was...

She had been there waiting.

Dipping his hand into the barrel and scooping out enough water to splash on his face, Inuyasha noticed the outline of his elder brother leaning against the clothesline post. He was in the center of town, near Kagura's new home (ever since she'd become a Ceremonial Woman, she'd lived there).

"Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha sauntered over, "What are you doing?"

"I don't believe it is your concern what I do during my day." Sesshoumaru swung his eyes over to his brother before focusing them back into the shadows.

Inuyasha smirked, "You're an obvious bastard. Without you telling me I know you're keeping an eye on your woman."

"You've been around Kouga too much."

The Jidai King growled, balling up his fists. "Keh, what's _that_ supposed to mean, Sesshoumaru?"

"Take a moment. Figure it out yourself; it's much more rewarding."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and sizzled. The man never gave him an opportunity to lighten to mood. If he had to live so close by his older brother, it would be much easier if he'd admit he was being immature for hating Inuyasha just because he'd been born.

A short temper was no indication of stupidity, it only showed a lack of patience. One day, he would prove that.

"Just a thought _Sesshoumaru_. Wouldn't it be much more _rewarding_ if you told her ya liked her? I mean, damn, you're frigid but not stupid. Blind, maybe. She likes you, gave you the honor of killing her brother for her too. If- nah, never mind. Figure it out yourself." Slipping off towards the horses, Inuyasha left the Jidai alone.

.-..-.

When his lavender eyes opened, Miroku noted the familiar scents of beer and rice wine as well as the dim but homey lighting of where he was. The reason why he was lying on top of the gold-covered table was beyond his semi-conscious mindset. Absently, he noted something digging into his back, but he was too dazed to roll off it.

There was movement from his side, crossing past a source of light before disappearing completely.

Footsteps echoed in the back of his mind, and then there was silence. Darkness followed as something blocked the light from falling on his face.

Miroku blinked, opened his mouth and groggily questioned the unknown guest. "Who are you?"

The movement ceased and the footsteps grew louder. "So you're awake."

He couldn't place the voice yet, but he knew he'd heard it before. The Jidai rose his hand up to his face and noticed the bandage wrapped tightly around his wrist with confusion. Blood had bled through the cloth, but he could tell that it had been changed several times. His head was light and he felt woozy, as well. What had happened?

"I think you fainted from blood loss." The feminine voice muttered, placing a hand on his forehead. His eyes instantly went into focus, zeroing in on her features.

She had smooth skin, dark brown hair hanging loosely over her frame, with intense, unnatural magenta eyes.

"Sango?"

"Well it isn't a prostitute." She muttered hotly, "Who is Nila anyway?"

Miroku blinked, what was she going on about that kidnapped dancer for? They'd gotten their ransom for her a long time ago...

"Never mind, I don't care...pervert." He heard something rip and then the sight of clean white bandages entered his vision before she jerked the old ones off. He winced, but the pain was minimal compared to past injuries. Especially the beating she'd given him just days before.

"I noticed you'd been cut on your wrist just after you fainted..." She paused to pour a pitcher of hot water over the wound. It wasn't too large of a gash, barely even half of his wrist had been sliced open. Blood still slightly dribbled out, but something similar to stitches were embedded in his skin. The Warrior must have noticed his worried look, "I sewed you back together. Otherwise you'd still be bleeding buckets."

"_Sewed!_" Miroku jerked away from her care and stared in horror at the thread in his wrist. "I'm not a shirt, woman!"

"Oh, you'll need a new one." Sango lifted her left hand to show him the tattered up white cloth. "It was the only stuff around that didn't smell when we were at the Harpy Den."

Too agitated to argue, Miroku just rose up - instantly dizzy - and stared at her as she treated his wound. "You were about to hit me with a table."

Sango dabbed at the wound and then began to wrap it. She directed an apologetic gaze at him, wrapping the bandages around from memory, "And I apologize for it...a slap would have been more appropriate." At the recollection she blushed and looked back down. "I don't appreciate a man staring at me when I'm half naked, sorry I didn't tell you sooner." It was a half-sarcastic remark, making his actions even more idiotic than he thought they'd been.

"I apologize, Sango." He hissed when she tightened the bandage. "You know I mean it, right?"

"I don't know you-or your intentions." She sounded betrayed, and hurt.

Ano Horaana was silent, Sango had finished her job and still held loosely to his wrist as though it was the meaning of life right there in her palm. "No." Dropping his arm limply back to his side, she walked off.

Miroku blinked, trying to figure out just what had happened. "S-Sango! You can't be _serious_!"

.-..-.

"WHAT!"

"We're leaving." Inuyasha lightly tossed another bag of fruits onto Wind Scar and angrily looked at his men. "What's that look for?"

Goshinki shook his head, "How can we leave without knowin' who killed Onigumo? And what about Naraku?"

Inuyasha raised a peeved eyebrow, "What about him?"

"We can't just leave him here!" Juuroumaru nodded in agreement with Goshinki's anxious complaint. "We got a code for a reason."

"The code doesn't say we can't leave a Jidai at the gypsy camp." Inuyasha tightened a bag strap and leaped onto his horse. "Thanks old man, we'll be back before another new moon."

The gypsy leader nodded, his wife smiling next to him.

Kouga, Ginta, Hakkaku, Rouyakan, and Jinenji took off after their King immediately. Not many truly cared where Naraku was, and the few who did were already trailing after Inuyasha.

.-.

"Maa, Kagura, what is it?" Yura looked up from her embroidery with a creased brow. Looking behind her, Yura sighed. "That bum from the desert?"

Kagura's head whipped around angrily, glaring her friend down as she continued to sew.

"You don't seem the type to go for someone like that. He's so cold and emotionless... Now, _Inuyasha_ on the other hand..." Yura grinned slyly, "He's _all_ man... Not afraid to show his feelings either. Hard to believe their brothers. One wears his emotions right there on his sleeve, and the other hides them so deep inside..."

Kanna looked between them placidly, then went back to sewing. After a moment, "Sesshoumaru watched over sister all last night and did not sleep at all."

Yura choked, pounding on her chest to keep breathing, "WHAT! Kagura, is this true?"

Giving a disapproving look to her younger adopted sister, Kagura nodded lightly. "I saw him last night and heard him and Inuyasha at dawn."

"Well, I offered him a bed...I wondered why he never came to use it." Yura shrugged, "I thought it was because I'd offered Inuyasha one too...Although I didn't offer _Inuyasha_ a separate bed like I did for Sesshoumaru."

Kagura ignored her, watching the horses disappear into the heat waves rising off the sand. "He doesn't fancy you, Yura."

"I'm not going to stop trying." The gypsy enlightened. "Why should I? He's a real prize, and he'd make a great gypsy man...A good provider."

"You're sick." Kagura rolled her eyes, "And such a damn shameless flirt."

"Hey!" Yura dropped her embroidery and kicked up some sand. "Let's talk about you for a second. You got lucky and you don't even realize it. Shows how much no flirting at all gets you."

The horses couldn't be seen any longer.

.-..-.

"You wanted to see me mother?"

The Sultana looked up from her scroll and smiled. "Kagome. I wanted to let you know that you'll be in charge for a while." She seemed excited about it; the opposite of the shock Kagome could feel creeping through her.

"...W-What?"

"Around a full moon's cycle, actually. I have to ride out to a neighboring village to see their Sultan. He's very ill, and is interested in merging our city with his village once he is gone. The offer is exclusive, and I'm honored. Therefore, I must ride out to meet him. He's invited me to stay a while, and since it takes a week to ride there and a week back, I believe a full moon's cycle should be adequate." Draped in beige and red, the Sultana walked towards her daughter. "I know that I will not live forever, and you will gain the thrown. This should be good practice for you."

Kagome balked, "You're..._leaving_?" _and I'm not coming with you?_ Kagome couldn't believe it. Despite all of her mother's warnings and stories of how awful the outside world was...she was going into it. Leaving without her.

Best of all, she was in charge. Something that she had never done before, and now it was her job for an entire moon cycle.

"This is very short notice..." Her mother gave her a sympathetic smile. "Yet I know you will be ok. You are strong, Kagome, and you are kind. I say that as your mother and your Sultana. It is extremely important that I leave now, every moment might be his last."

Before Kagome could realize what was happening, her mother was on the balcony, in front of all the Shikonian villagers, announcing the temporary transfer of leadership.

"...important to the growth and prosperity of this city. Because of my absence, your princess will be your ruler. Kagome-" She rose her hand and motioned Kagome forward happily. Standing proudly, the Sultana brought her daughter forward. "She will rule with strength and heart; Your Sultana."

That one sentence sent everyone into an uproar of praise.

"I will go now." Her mother gave her a hug and kiss - something Kagome hadn't felt since she was still a child. "I love you."

"I...love you too, mama."

.-..-.

"I'm leaving." Sango secured her weapons and tightened her borrowed garments around herself. "The next time I see you, Jidai, or any other, you will die." It didn't sound like an empty threat to him, so he leaned away from her to let the Shikonian pass.

"They think you're dead anyway, why not stay here? Your skills would be perfect."

She gave him an incredulous look, "You are honestly going to sit there and invite me into the Sengoku Jidai?" Sango gave a low, dry laugh. "Jidai, you are crazy. My boomerang must have hit you one too many times in the head."

"Women cannot join the Sengoku Jidai, but you might be the first exception."

Sango sighed, blushing at the contact. "I've already proven myself once in the world of men, Jidai...and I cannot work with the same people who have given me so much grief. Especially with the Jidai who gave me my scar."

Miroku frowned in confusion. "A Jidai...?"

The Shikon Warrior shrugged off her cloak, low enough for the scar to show. "I believe you know him as Naraku." Shrugging the linen back over her shoulders, Sango fought the blush off her cheeks. _Why did I just allow him to see...? WHY! _"I must go."

"Wait!" It was too late to stop her, as well as the anger he felt bubbling up inside his stomach. Naraku had maimed her and the scar she carried looked painful. _How dare he...?_

It took him a moment to realize just how crazy siding with the Shikonians was.

"Miroku!"

Inuyasha sounded joyous for some unknown reason, and then Miroku realized why. Not only was the King of Thieves happy to see him, but he also carried a sack of gold over his shoulder and food weighed down Wind Scar's saddlebags.

"So you're alive after all!" Inuyasha grinned, "Good to know you're not lying dead somewhere letting the vultures get at you."

How letting anyone do _anything_ to him while he was dead was a mystery to Miroku, but he went along with it anyway. Truth be told, seeing his best friend before the other Jidai was the best thing that had happened to him for a while.

"Where the hell were you, anyway?"

"Nowhere."

.-..-.

Right after her mother had left with a flock of the Royal Guard, Kagome had been placed on the thrown.

"Your mother did not leave much for you to do as of yet…Things will pick up later." The Shikon Warrior focused in on the girl in front of him and sighed. "What is troubling you, Sultana?"

In a word, everything. But, as the temporary Sultana of Shikon there was no way she could say that. Instead, Kagome smiled softly and shook her head. Returning her attention to the world beyond her balcony, she noticed the silhouette of a memorable figure making its way across the dunes. It was very faint, but the outline couldn't have been anyone else.

"SANGO!"


	10. Suspicions

Thief of Hearts 

_Sakura's Note: _This is a short chapter, but I ended it at a place I think leaves it off good. I'll be at the AnimeNEXT convention from June 17th to 19th, so hopefully I'll post some more updates before I leave, but I can't make any promises. This chapter should give you a quick snack of Thief of Hearts before another longer chapter occurs. It's around six or seven pages I think, but I really like it.

Also, thank you everyone for your reviews and for waiting dedicatedly and patiently for an update. A lot has been going on in the last few months and I've had to deal with it. Hopefully the summer will bring some breaks between drama and I will be able to put a lot more of my time into writing like I love to do.

Enjoy this chapter and Arigatou! I love you guys!

.-..-.

_Chapter 10: Suspicions _

.-..-.

Kyuukotsu brought out another new barrel of beer, uncorking it and drinking up his fill before continuing his story. "That girl in the gypsy camp…Yura's her name."

Jakotsu nodded, deeply interested in the story unraveling in front of him. The plot wasn't very filling, but it was something more entertaining than watching Bankotsu decide to drink himself into a stupor.

"She had invited our King over here for a little meet up last night…but he turned her down…"

Keeping an interested look on his face, Inuyasha continued to sneak glances at Miroku out of the corner of his eye. Something had been bothering him since they'd arrived.

Everyone laughed at the vivid details of the night before. It hadn't been as intimate as they'd once thought, but the fact that Kyuukotsu had found Ginkotsu getting beat up for harassing Yura was very entertaining indeed. After the laughter died down however, more serious matters than Ginkotsu's fierce bearing from the night before resumed.

"Onigumo's dead…" Mukotsu muttered, swaying the topic away from girls. "Wow."

Kouga rolled his eyes from his seat, but didn't alert anyone to his annoyance. Everyone already knew of his distaste for both Onigumo and Naraku, but if he were to show his feelings now he would be a suspect.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in concentration. _Then again, Kouga is a suspect already._

"I bet I know who it was."

Looking up in surprise, Inuyasha eyed Renkotsu confusedly. What was he getting at?

"Who hates Onigumo more than anyone else?" Renkotsu continued, walking over to get another fill of wine.

Jinenji quietly looked up from his gold, "Kagura?"

A devious smile appeared on Renkotsu's face, chilling the one he was staring at.

Inuyasha refused to waver under Renkotsu's gaze, instead leveling him with his own. "Get to the point, Renkotsu."

The bald man grinned. "You're half right, Jinenji. It is a _woman_, but not his sister. One much closer to home."

It only took Inuyasha a moment to realize whom he was accusing. "You think it was Kikyo."

Ignoring the way his King addressed their permanent captive, Renkotsu shrugged. "It makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? Onigumo was always making passes at her, and no one here can deny that she didn't despise it. She has the power to do it. She's proven she can do enough to threaten us. The only reason she hasn't killed us all is that hold you have over her. While we were gone, who's to say that she didn't escape and find something of his?"

The looks on some of his men's faces froze him to the bone. Inuyasha glared, "She can't escape."

"Really? You think so." Coughing and giving Miroku a swift look, the renegade Jidai laughed. "Things go on without you knowing it, Inuyasha. I'm not saying that I'm one of the people who goes behind your back, but you can't expect to know everything." Sighing, Renkotsu fell off his high horse in temporary guilt. "Think about it. She has the power to kill him and get him out of her way. Why shouldn't she use it?"

There was no doubt in his mind that whatever had killed Onigumo had been at the Gypsy camp with them that night… Kikyo could have killed him, but not from miles away. He would have had to be near her, and she would have had to prepare. He knew. He'd asked her if she could once and, with solemn eyes, she had confessed.

"The miko would not kill anyone here." Without realizing it, Miroku had come up beside him. He was not about to let a possible militia for the girl occur. "She's been with us over a year and hasn't laid a hand on any one of us. Even if we think she did it, there is really no way she could have. What earthly woman could kill a man so far away from her?"

Bankotsu, half drunk, called out. "One who can make a whole damn cave full of gold and forty men invisible." Smirking at his cleverness, he went back to eating his chicken.

Narrowing his eyes warningly at Jakotsu, Inuyasha watched as Jakotsu gave Bankotsu a few quick "wake up" slaps before Bankotsu came back to his senses.

Giving his King a quick look, he heaved his shoulders and tried to save himself. "But…then again…gypsies could have done it too. We've all seen what they can do." His educational speech sounded more like a question than an answer, but it had overridden some of the Jidai's doubts.

"Kikyo didn't kill Naraku." He spoke it low enough that it was now an unwritten law.

Turning his back on his doubting men, Inuyasha calmly walked out of Ano Horaana.

As soon as he was a good distance away, the frown he'd been fighting inside appeared. A deep growl rose in his chest and a roar of anger came from his mouth.

Nothing was working out the way it was supposed to…

Not the jewel…

Not the Jidai…

Not even himself.

.-..-.

"This is my grave." Sango looked unsurely at Kagome for a moment before taking a deep breath. "This tomb…?"

Nodding, Kagome tried taking the girl's mind off what had almost been set in stone. "We were planning to close it up after the traditional four days when the villagers are allowed to come visit. Luckily, you showed up before then."

"But, only the Royal Family is buried in the tomb, Kagome. I'm your cousin, I'm not your immediate family by blood, no matter how much I know you're my sister!"

"You're a lot more than just my cousin, Sango. We both know that. You're my best friend, my sister, and you live both of our lives." Running her finger across the marble coffin, Kagome sighed. "I'm so happy that you aren't dead."

Sango smiled, "I'm far from it!"

Reverting to seriousness, Kagome placed her hand on her cousin's engraved name. "Sango, what happened? Why were you gone for so long before you came back?"

There was no way she would be able to live with herself if she didn't tell Kagome the truth. But could she trust her with the truth?

Yes, they were blood. But, Miroku was a Jidai, and now Kagome was temporarily Sultana. Where the line was, she felt guilty for not knowing. "Harpies captured me in the desert." She ignored Kagome's shocked face. "I don't know exactly how long I was there, but before long someone came…and rescued me."

The words "rescued me" seemed foreign in her mouth, especially when she was talking about Miroku. _Yes,…he did rescue me…even though he had no reason to. _

"Someone…_rescued _you." Trying hard not to be excited, Kagome grabbed the girl. "Who was it?"

"His name…it was Miroku."

Turning to leave the empty tomb, Kagome nodded to herself. "He deserves a royal thank you. I'll send some of the guards out in search of him."

"What! Kagome, no! He wanted to remain anonymous-"

It was too late. Kagome was gone.

.-..-.

"I really don't think it's healthy to be pacing and yelling like that." Pointing out his concern in a humorous manner, Miroku crossed his arms and leaned against the closest palm tree. "Inuyasha, Kikyo didn't kill Onigumo."

"I know that!"

Ignoring Inuyasha's snapped response, Miroku sighed. "Well, then what is it? You just came back from the gypsy camp and Onigumo's gone."

"I didn't like the guy, but he was a Jidai. It wouldn't be right if I just ignored the fact that he kicked the bucket."

Miroku chuckled. "You've always had the qualities of a King deep down in there somewhere…"

"Where were you?"

Choking on something nonexistent, Miroku pretended he hadn't heard the question. "Come back in, the Jidai are already in the process of blaming more people for his death-"

'Where were you?"

With a sigh, Miroku confessed. "Here." There was a pause. "Something tells me you don't follow…"

Inuyasha frowned, advancing. "Here?"

"For the most part." Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Miroku took a step back. "I had to go out and do something, but other than that-"

"You could have been dead."

"Come on Inuyasha, you know that I'm not going to die just yet. There are things in this world I need to take care of first." Giving an uneasy smile, Miroku headed back towards Ano Horaana until he felt an arm stop him.

"Miroku, stop being so damn cryptic and tell me the truth. What's going on?" Grabbing Miroku's collar, he waited. He was in no hurry to return to the other Jidai.

"There isn't an easy way to tell you what you're about to hear." Slumping his shoulders forward with a bowed head, Miroku muttered something Inuyasha could have sworn he didn't really hear.

"What kind of- -A Shikonian woman? _That_ _woman_?"

"Yash, your voice is getting very low… You should calm down." Frowning at the hand holding him about an inch up in the air, Miroku closed his eyes. "I can't help who I've fallen for."

"You're an idiot." Dropping his best friend into the sand, Inuyasha glared. "She's a Shikonian warrior who has tried to kill you before. And you…saved her life?"

"It was the Harpies! You know what they do to women."

"Keh!" _I would have done the same thing…but I wouldn't have fallen for the wench._

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "I don't see why it matters now. She won't be coming back."

"She knows the way back, and she's been after us forever! Of course she'll be back." Inuyasha ran a hand down his face miserably. "Damn your idiotic actions around wenches!"

.-..-.

"He wanted to remain anonymous. That's why he left before anyone could see him!" Sango protested.

Kagome eyed her warily for a moment. "There's something you're not telling me… No one lives out there in the desert for miles. What was he? A wandering salesman?"

"No." Sango twiddled her thumbs behind her back anxiously. When would her stubborn cousin drop the subject?

"So he was a mysterious hero randomly walking through the desert." Nodding in sarcastic understanding, Kagome winked. "Or…he's an outlaw." She'd meant it to be a joke… "Sango?"

Sango could feel herself getting nervous. _I'm probably as pale as a fish belly by now!" _

Clasping a hand to her mouth, Kagome dropped to her bed. "He's an outlaw!"

Luckily, she had whispered or else the guards outside her bedroom would have been all ears.

Hiding her face behind her hands, Sango cursed loudly. Ignoring Kagome's shocked face, she stormed from the room.

Oblivious to the curious glances the guards were giving her, she hurried down the marble hallway.

"Sango! Get back here!"

Kagome was following her, but in only a pair of silk slippers, the temporary Sultana of Shikon was bound to move slower than she did in her warrior attire.

_What are you going to do, Sango? You spilled the beans without saying a word, and now more than ever Kagome will try to find him! _

Stopping when she turned a corner – already far ahead of Kagome – Sango groped at the wall. "Why…do I care?"

_Humiliation. _Her mind was always so logical. But, it also lied.

Sliding down the wall into a slump of confusion and torment, Sango fought to sort everything out. Why was a man she had been after for killing so many, stealing so much, the man flooding her thoughts? Cursing her façade for being so weak around Kagome, she made herself stand. If she stayed there too long, Kagome would come after her.

By prolonging the time it took for Miroku's true identity to be revealed, she was prolonging her own time, too.

"Curse you, Miroku…Only a Jidai could _taint_ my thoughts."

.-..-.

"Inuyasha!" Jakotsu jumped up out of his seat happily, "Please forgive Renkotsu for his stupidity, he didn't mean anything by it-"

Inuyasha waved a hand, making his way towards his room. He had some serious thinking to do.

He could hear shuffling from behind the miko's curtains and sighed. "Why are you still up?" The room was so boring, how long could she bare to sit and stare all day? Noticing her shadow turn to face him, her voice flowed out from behind the divide.

"Too much sleep and I would have a headache. Besides, it can be interesting…listening to your men accuse me of things that are physically impossible for me to do." There was a pause before she decided to speak again. "Be sure to thank your brother, Miroku, was it?"

"Miroku is not my real brother." Inuyasha corrected, falling onto his bed with a knitted brow.

"I know, but he's much closer to you than your real one. Besides, you didn't deny that he was your brother in your heart."

Inuyasha frowned, closing one eye while the other focused on where the miko sat. "Why do you want me to thank Miroku for you, anyway, nosy eavesdropper?"

He heard a light laugh from behind the red curtains. "Because he…understands."

"Whatever." It made no sense to him, actually. But, if the wench wanted to give someone thanks, it was the least he could do.

The two became silent.

Finally, there was enough peace and quiet for him to think. Contrary to his men's beliefs, he did have to think before a plan popped into his head.

The Princess of Shikon had the Shikon Jewel, and a fiery way of protecting it. She had an odd gift, something he only believed Kikyo to know how to do.

Kikyo was from a far away land, Japan, and had been here for only a few days before Inuyasha was able to capture her. Pure and talented, she had been the perfect way for the Sengoku Jidai to become invincible. But, miko training was in Asia…

…Not here.

"There's gotta be a way…"

Inuyasha heard something and looked up. Kikyo had finally lain down to sleep. _Finally…_

The Princess was young, probably with a suitor. Whether the suitor pleased or displeased her didn't matter. There were ways to get into Shikon unnoticed, especially with his skills. What then? He could seduce her, get her in the perfect spot, and then grab the Jewel… But with her powers or purity, there was a strong doubt.

Another attempt at a raid would end badly, especially with a weak division in his men at the moment. To go in alone would be safer, but another go at fighting her would end just as humiliating as the first time. _I refuse to think of such pansy thoughts again…_

His mind flickering back to Onigumo's death, Inuyasha growled. His mind was too busy with worry to think of anything –wait. That storyteller… What had she been saying in that story of hers?

"….The Princess wandered… if she would ever see him again, and she did. He came to her, erasing all first impressions…" Jumping up, Inuyasha dashed from the room.

Kikyo opened her eyes, still wide awake, and gave a sad smile. "…and they fell in love."


End file.
